About this Research Topic
Soft matter science deals with materials ranging from polymers to colloids, gels, liquid crystals, emulsions, self-organizing molecules, granular packings, and biological materials. The wide range of materials and systems that can be classified as soft matter also makes the field highly interdisciplinary, and physics often comes together with chemistry, biology, nanotechnology, engineering, and materials science to address problems from different viewpoints. The aim of this Editor’s challenge is to show the diversity of the field, to highlight recent developments and to identify outstanding challenges. We therefore seek contributions that may relate to (but are not limited to) the following themes (see also [1]):
- Self-assembly: can we control spontaneous self-organization of molecules or colloidal particles into complex structures? How can we deal with, or make use of, competing pathways and non-equilibrium states?
- Flow and rheology of soft matter: how can we understand and control flow of complex liquids, soft materials, or glass-forming polymers?
- Active matter: how can we understand the rich variety of collective phenomena in soft matter systems that are actively driven out of equilibrium?
- Biological soft matter: which soft matter physics concepts can we use to understand biological systems?
- Soft matter physics for societal impact: many of society’s current challenges ask for novel materials. How can soft matter physics help with the development of more sustainable materials or foods, or new biomedical treatments?
- Novel approaches: how can recent developments in experimental and theoretical methods or in artificial intelligence advance the field?
We welcome both original research, mini-reviews, and perspective articles.
[1] J. van der Gucht, Grand Challenges in Soft Matter Physics, Frontiers in Physics 2018,
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2018.00087
- Self-assembly: can we control spontaneous self-organization of molecules or colloidal particles into complex structures? How can we deal with, or make use of, competing pathways and non-equilibrium states?
- Flow and rheology of soft matter: how can we understand and control flow of complex liquids, soft materials, or glass-forming polymers?
- Active matter: how can we understand the rich variety of collective phenomena in soft matter systems that are actively driven out of equilibrium?
- Biological soft matter: which soft matter physics concepts can we use to understand biological systems?
- Soft matter physics for societal impact: many of society’s current challenges ask for novel materials. How can soft matter physics help with the development of more sustainable materials or foods, or new biomedical treatments?
- Novel approaches: how can recent developments in experimental and theoretical methods or in artificial intelligence advance the field?
We welcome both original research, mini-reviews, and perspective articles.
[1] J. van der Gucht, Grand Challenges in Soft Matter Physics, Frontiers in Physics 2018,
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2018.00087
Keywords: Soft Matter, Rheology, Flow, Biological Soft Matter, Active Matter, Self-Assembly
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
