Themed collection Soft Matter Recent Review Articles, 2024
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Training physical matter to matter
A new paradigm for generating adaptive functionality in materials.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 6695-6701
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00629A
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Rethinking nuclear shaping: insights from the nuclear drop model
The resistance of the liquid drop-like nucleus to deformation is dependent on whether the nuclear lamina is smooth or wrinkled. When it is smooth and taut, the nuclear shape can be calculated from geometric constraints on volume and surface area.
Soft Matter, 2024, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00683F
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Soft matter physics of the ground beneath our feet
Earth's surface materials constitute the basis for life and natural resources. Most of these materials can be catergorized as soft matter, yet a general physical understanding of the ground beneath our feet is still lacking. Here we provide some perspectives.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 5859-5888
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00391H
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Predicting polymer solubility from phase diagrams to compatibility: a perspective on challenges and opportunities
Advances in physical models and data science are improving predictions of polymer–solvent phase behavior and we discuss the different approaches taken today and the remaining barriers to making broadly useful predictions.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 5652-5669
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00590B
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Ductile-to-brittle transition and yielding in soft amorphous materials: perspectives and open questions
The manuscript offers a critical perspective on the shear-induced solid-to-liquid transition in amorphous materials, synthesizing insights from the talks and informal discussions that unfolded during a week of vibrant exchange at the Lorentz Center.
Soft Matter, 2024, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01740K
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The sweetest polymer nanoparticles: opportunities ahead for glycogen in nanomedicine
Glycogen is a biomaterial nanoparticle composed of sugar. In this perspective, the opportunities of glycogen in nanomedicine going forward is discussed.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 3577-3584
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00261J
Strategies to decouple cell micro-scale and macro-scale environments for designing multifunctional biomimetic tissues
In this review, we overview recent advancements in decoupling the cellular microenvironment from the surrounding macroenvironment in the development of biomimetic engineered tissues.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 6313-6326
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00276H
Polyzwitterions: controlled synthesis, soft materials and applications
Soft Matter, 2024, Accepted Manuscript
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00674G
Melanin: Nature's 4th bioorganic polymer
We analyse and compare the physico-chemical properties of melanins with other biological macromolecular systems and conclude that they are the fourth fundamental class of bioorganic materials alongside nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 5635-5651
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00491D
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Wetting on silicone surfaces
In this review, we discuss the structural properties of the three most common types of silicone surfaces and their static and dynamic wetting properties. We review experimental and theoretical approaches for soft wetting.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 5273-5295
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00346B
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Drop impact dynamics of complex fluids: a review
The impact of fluid drops on solid substrates shows a wide variety of interesting behaviours, and has widespread interest in many industrial coating and spraying applications, such as ink-jet printing and agricultural pesticide sprays.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 4839-4858
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00145A
Review on novel targeted enzyme drug delivery systems: enzymosomes
The goal of this review is to present enzymosomes as an innovative means for site-specific drug delivery.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 4524-4543
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00301B
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Methods of changing low molecular weight gel properties through gelation kinetics
The kinetics of gel formation are known to influence the gel properties, however the structures present before gelation are often not discussed or explored. We explore different methods of changing or pre-processing these structures before gelation to change the properties of the final gel.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 3887-3896
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00238E
Critical Casimir forces in soft matter
We review recent advances in the theoretical, numerical, and experimental studies of critical Casimir forces in soft matter, with particular emphasis on their relevance for the structures of colloidal suspensions and on their dynamics.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 3212-3242
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01408H
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Optical deformations of azobenzene polymers: orientation approach vs. other concepts
A multitude of theoretical concepts devoted to photodeformation and alignment in azobenzene polymers are reviewed for their predictive abilities. The universality of the modern approach based on the orientation mechanism is demonstrated.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 2688-2710
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00104D
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Dilute polyelectrolyte solutions: recent progress and open questions
We highlight key results and outstanding questions emerging from recent literature, aiming to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in understanding the conformation and dynamics of polyelectrolytes in dilute solutions.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 2635-2687
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM00468F
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Lattice Boltzmann simulation of deformable fluid-filled bodies: progress and perspectives
With the rapid development of studies involving droplet microfluidics, drug delivery, cell detection, and microparticle synthesis, several models have been proposed to study the flow of fluid-filled bodies.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 2419-2441
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01648J
Principles and methods of liquid metal actuators
The mechanisms driving liquid metals and research progress on liquid metal actuators.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 2196-2211
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01756G
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Simple and complex coacervation in systems involving plant proteins
This review covers simple and complex coacervation in plant proteins: legume, oil seed, and cereal. We grouped the proteins by sources and properties and examined how processing affects phase behaviors.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 1966-1977
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01275A
Overview of imidazole-based fluorescent materials with hybridized local and charge transfer and hot-exciton pathway characteristics in excited states
Imidazole-based organic fluorophores with HLCT characteristics in excited states.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 1669-1688
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01005H
Machine learning methods for liquid crystal research: phases, textures, defects and physical properties
A comprehensive review of machine learning perspectives for the analysis and prediction of macroscopic and molecular properties of liquid crystals.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 1380-1391
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01634J
Research progress on the conformational properties of comb-like polymers in dilute solutions
Research progress on the conformational properties of comb-like polymers.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 463-483
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01102J
Structured soft particulate matters for delivery of bioactive compounds in foods and functioning in the colon
The colon structure, factors significant to gut health, the fate of diet digesta entering the colon, and the functions of delivery systems in the colon.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 277-293
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM00866E
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Supramolecular gels – a panorama of low-molecular-weight gelators from ancient origins to next-generation technologies
Supramolecular gels, self-assembled from low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs), have a long history and a bright future.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 10-70
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SM01301D
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Methylene glycol-sulfite pH-clocks for the time-programming of soft materials: advantages, limitations, and yet unexplored opportunities
This Tutorial Review showcases methylene glycol-sulfite pH-clocks and their use for the time-programming of soft matter self-assembly and chemomechanical actuation.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 6092-6102
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00604F
Dynamic duos: the building blocks of dimensional mechanics
Mechanics studies the relationships between space, time, and matter.
Soft Matter, 2024,20, 5475-5508
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00263F
Spatiotemporal mapping of nanotopography and thickness transitions of ultrathin foam films
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, 2024,20, 3719-3727
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00048J
About this collection
This collection contains recent Review-type articles published by Soft Matter. New articles will be added to this collection as soon as possible after publication.