Themed collection Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
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Data-driven algorithms for inverse design of polymers
The ever-increasing demand for novel polymers with superior properties requires a deeper understanding and exploration of the chemical space.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 7607-7622
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00725D
A decade of innovation and progress in understanding the morphology and structure of heterogeneous polymers in rigid confinement
Confining the polymers influences their properties, while opening new platforms for novel applications at the nanometer scale.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 7430-7458
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00522G
Adhesion behaviors on four special wettable surfaces: natural sources, mechanisms, fabrications and applications
The surface of plants in nature contains important wetting and adhesion models. By studying their microstructure and chemical composition, the wetting mechanism can be modeled, and its fabrications and applications can be inspired and influenced.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 4895-4928
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00248A
Elastin-inspired supramolecular hydrogels: a multifaceted extracellular matrix protein in biomedical engineering
The phenomenal advancement in regenerative medicines has led to the development of bioinspired materials to fabricate a biomimetic artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) to support cellular survival, proliferation, and differentiation.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 3266-3290
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM02202K
Stimuli-responsive engineered living materials
Engineered living materials integrate genetic engineering and synthetic materials to program stimuli responses that enable the fabrication of devices for diverse applications.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 785-809
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01905D
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Linear triglycerol-based fluorosurfactants show high potential for droplet-microfluidics-based biochemical assays
We decoupled the influence of different spatial geometries of oligoglycerol-based head groups and contributed to the goal of rational fluorosurfactant design for droplet microfluidics-based water-in-oil emulsions and suited applications.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 7260-7267
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00890K
Exploring water in oil emulsions simultaneously stabilized by solid hydrophobic silica nanospheres and hydrophilic soft PNIPAM microgel
Using well-defined stabilizers allows generalizable predictions on the emulsion structure of w/o emulsions stabilized by hydrophilic microgels and hydrophobic nanoparticles.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 8258-8268
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00942G
Fingering instability in spreading epithelial monolayers: roles of cell polarisation, substrate friction and contractile stresses
Numerical simulations and linear stability analyses of expanding cellular monolayers suggest cell–substrate friction is responsible for fingers at the edge. A critical contractile stress characterises wetting-dewetting; dewetting inhibits fingering.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 8276-8290
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00626F
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Shear thickening behavior in dense repulsive and attractive suspensions of hard spheres
Simulated particle networks (different solid colors) in a strongly attractive suspension at low shear stress. The distribution of the typical cluster size in the transient regime is more fragmented, prompting the unstable behavior of the suspension.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 8047-8058
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00971K
Surface alignment of ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals
The coupling of the newly discovered ferroelectric liquid crystal with solid surface gives rise to a variety of orientation, defects and electric field response that are a consequence of the polar symmetry breaking and depend on the specific surface.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 8130-8139
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00734C
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Impact of a microfluidic jet on a pendant droplet
The impact of microscopic jets on pendant liquid droplets is studied experimentally. The critical traversing jet velocity is predicted, which explains how the phenomena are governed by the impact inertia, the surface tension of the droplet and viscoelastic effects.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 7466-7475
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00706H
On the relationship between cutting and tearing in soft elastic solids
Unique observations of cutting energy in silicone elastomers motivate a picture of soft fracture that qualitatively and quantitatively links far-field tearing with push cutting for the first time.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 6728-6741
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00527H
Structure and dynamics of ions in dipolar solvents: a coarse-grained simulation study
We employ the coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the fundamental structural and dynamic properties of the ionic solution with and without the application of an external electric field.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 6305-6314
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00583A
Actin filament alignment causes mechanical hysteresis in cross-linked networks
We investigate biopolymer networks with long lasting stiffening in the direction of previously applied stress. We find this phenomenon depends on the network having a non-linear shear response and the ability of filaments to rearrange under stress.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 5499-5507
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00412C
Propelling microdroplets generated and sustained by liquid–liquid phase separation in confined spaces
Liquid transport in a confined space can be enhanced via propelling microdroplets. These microdroplets form spontaneously from localized liquid–liquid phase separation as a ternary mixture is diluted by a diffusing poor solvent.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 5362-5374
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00231G
Spatial velocity correlations in inertial systems of active Brownian particles
The velocity field of systems of active Brownian particles at high density shows large spatial coherent structures, a genuine non-equilibrium behavior. The effects of Peclet number, inertia and thermal diffusion on the ordering phenomenon are studied.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 4109-4121
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM02273J
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Globular protein assembly and network formation at fluid interfaces: effect of oil
The formation of viscoelastic networks at fluid interfaces by globular proteins is essential in many industries, scientific disciplines, and biological processes.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 1692-1700
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01870H
Decoupling salt- and polymer-dependent dynamics in polyelectrolyte complex coacervates via salt addition
A method for changing the salt and polymer concentrations of coacervates independently is developed and used to investigate their rheology.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 1223-1231
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01412E
Splitting dynamics of ferrofluid droplets inside a microfluidic T-junction using a pulse-width modulated magnetic field in micro-magnetofluidics
A novel, simple, and robust ferrofluid droplet splitting in microfluidics employing a pulse-width modulated magnetic field is proposed.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 1317-1329
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01764G
Intestines of non-uniform stiffness mold the corners of wombat feces
The bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is a fossorial, herbivorous, Australian marsupial, renowned for its cubic feces.
Soft Matter, 2021,17, 475-488
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01230K