Themed collection Tutorial Reviews in Soft Matter

This tutorial review introduces some non-trivial properties of the drag force experienced by objects moving through granular materials, including dependencies on the velocity of the object and the pressure around it, and associated scaling laws.

A tutorial review on mesoscale computer simulations of fluid lipid membranes presenting three tutorials with repositories of ready-to-run codes for tether pulling, membrane tubulation and membrane fluctuation analysis.

We describe approaches, results and insights from multi-year hackathons to enable their use in soft matter training and innovation.

This Tutorial Review article provides a succinct compilation and discussion of the advancements in aromatic–carbohydrate amphiphiles and their chiral self-assembly processes, with the aid of a number of carefully designed synthetic precursors.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been introduced through detailed tutorials, accompanied by a code package, as a powerful technique suitable for versatile investigations in fluid mechanics and soft matter physics.

This Tutorial Review showcases methylene glycol-sulfite pH-clocks and their use for the time-programming of soft matter self-assembly and chemomechanical actuation.

Mechanics studies the relationships between space, time, and matter.

Schematic of the set-up used for implementing IDIOM (interferometry digital imaging optical microscopy) protocols to visualize ultrathin films using reflected light microscopy and obtain nanotopography by converting pixelwise interference intensity into thickness.

Soft matter systems often exhibit viscoelastic stress relaxation processes that deviate from the Maxwell model of linear viscoelasticity. We survey their diverse physical origins, and introduce mathematical models for describing these processes.

Technological advances have boosted the use of quantitative tracking experiments. Here we introduce, discuss, and apply a large toolbox of versatile measures and routines for an in-depth analysis of single-particle tracking trajectories.

A tutorial review of the scaling laws and systems of units for the spreading, coalescence and pinching dynamics of simple fluids.

We provide a tutorial review for beginners on the application of small angle X-ray and neutron scattering to supramolecular gels.

Fluctuations in lamellar phases give rise to diffuse scattering, which can provide valuable information on the elastic properties of lamellae. Models to account for this are described, and diffuse scattering from in-plane fluctuations or structures such as perforations or patterned nanoparticles is considered.

This review explores the physical features of the Cahn–Hilliard equation and how various thermodynamic models can be incorporated to study mixtures such as polymer blends.

Granular materials are comprised of solid, athermal grains. Whilst immune to thermal motion, these grains move and diffuse when they undergo shear deformation.

Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) elucidates the thermodynamic profile (ΔH, ΔS, ΔG, K_a, and stoichiometry) of binding and dissociation reactions in solution.

In this review, we show that these interactions are of importance even at the nanoscale. Mechanical chiral resolution is promising in the field of soft matter and for industry.

We review the adsorption of colloidal particles at fluid interfaces, highlighting the effects of particle shape and chemistry.

This tutorial review gives a comparative introduction to some of the most popular mesoscopic simulation methods and their application to soft and flowing matter.

This review offers a new perspective of interdisciplinary research both on functions of plant trichomes and their biomimetic applications.

We consider the Brownian motion of a particle and present a tutorial review over the last 111 years since Einstein's paper in 1905.

Control of living cells is vital for the survival of organisms. Each cell is exposed to diverse external mechano-chemical cues, all coordinated in a spatio-temporal pattern. Here, we describe how external mechano-chemical cues influence intracellular information transport for specific control of cell functions, especially for cell migration.

In order to understand the biological role of lipids in cell membranes, it is necessary to determine the mesoscopic structure of well-defined model membrane systems.

A tutorial review of the theory, modelling, synthesis, and applications of polyelectrolyte brushes is presented.

By performing experiments on colloids, one can establish that certain definitions of the classical entropy fit the data, while others in the literature do not.

Advances in microgel particles swollen in non-aqueous solvents and the challenges in their characterisation, synthesis and potential applications are discussed.

Ferrofluids are suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles that have the attractive feature of being controlled by applied magnetic fields. Ferrofluids have been studied for decades in an ever growing number of applications that take advantage of their response to applied magnetic fields. Here, we provide a summary of recent advances in established and emerging applications of ferrofluids.

Although often fought against or designed accidentally, the intelligent design of entropy can lead to novel materials and phase behaviours.

Complex functional films containing enzymes and other biomolecules are easily fabricated in nm-scale thicknesses by using layer-by-layer (LbL) methodologies.

We review diverse applications of traction force microscopy and provide detailed instructions, including computer code, for performing it.

This tutorial review examines directed self-assembly of block copolymers as canonical examples of nanostructured soft matter systems. Well-established and newly emerging methods are surveyed along with perspectives on future directions.

A tutorial review providing the essential Newtonian background for anyone interested in the non-Newtonian Taylor–Couette problem.

This review explores how total internal reflection spectroscopy can be used to probe soft matter interfaces.

The design and engineering of innovative biopolymer-based biomaterials for a variety of biomedical applications should be based on the understanding of the relationship between their nanoscale structure and mechanical properties.

Amorphous materials as diverse as foams, emulsions, colloidal suspensions and granular media can jam into a rigid, disordered state where they withstand finite shear stresses before yielding.

The effect of a high intensity sound wave on the gas streamlines through a fixed array of cylinders.

We discuss how solvent relaxation nuclear magnetic resonance has been used to study the interactions within complex colloidal suspensions.

Dynamic biomaterials for cell culture can be used to mimic temporal changes that occur in the native extracellular matrix.

Polymer colloids with thermoresponsive polymers as the hydrophobic core, hydrophilic corona or both of them depending on temperature are discussed and their potential bio-related applications highlighted.

In situ and in real time study of molecular presence and orientation at buried interfaces: SFG.

Recent advances in modeling of healthy and diseased red blood cells and blood flow in the microcirculation are reviewed.

Synergetic combination of neutron scattering and fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations provides unprecedented insight into polymer structure and dynamics.

This article review recent experimental and theoretical studies of the insertion and stability of α-helical membrane proteins.

This review presents recent progress in the implementation of fluorescent silica NPs in intracellular analyte monitoring, cellular targeting and cancer cell diagnosis.

From the motion of a particle in a potential well to shear-banding in complex fluids. Sliding from mechanics to thermodynamics.

The manuscript overviews recent advances in development and application of polymer films, which are able to fold and form 3D structures.

The self-assembly of amphiphilic peptides and peptide amphiphiles is reviewed.

Edible nanoemulsions can be formed using a variety of different low-energy or high-energy methods. In this case, spontaneous emulsification is demonstrated.

We review the novel techniques for the fabrication of highly ordered 1D organic nanostructures and their application for the development of high performance devices and circuits.

Large scale domain motions on several ten nanosecond timescales can be accessed by means of small angle neutron scattering and neutron spin-echo spectroscopy.

Softer or harder: a question of rate for biomolecules and cells.

Nanobubbles: what do we know and how can we understand their surprising stability and morphology?

Non-Euclidean plates: self shaping of soft sheets via differential growth

This review focuses on well-defined soft nanoparticles (i.e., dendron/dendrimer type nano-elements) and their ability to form nano-compounds/assemblies, as well as exhibit nano-periodic property patterns much as traditional atom based elements.

This review demonstrates how weak and non-specific membrane interactions such as membrane hydration and small-molecule membrane partitioning can be elucidated from different thermodynamic measurements.

This Tutorial Review introduces the reader to some commonly used neutron and X-ray scattering techniques, and describes their recent applications to self-assembled lipid systems of interest to biotechnology and biophysics.

This Review examines the progress in self-assembly research from equilibrium systems toward non-equilibrium/dynamic systems, which will provide a basis for the adaptive, self-replicating, and self-healing materials of the future.