Magnetic Soft Matter

Covering the most recent literature in the field, with special emphasis on the physical mechanisms behind their rheological behaviour, this book demonstrates the controllability of soft matter through an external (magnetic) stimulus.

In a liquid crystal watch, the molecules contained within a thin film of the screen are reorientated each second by extremely weak electrical signals. Here is a fine example of soft matter: molecular systems giving a strong response to a very weak command signal. They can be found almost everywhere. Soft magnetic materials used in transformers exhibit a strong magnetic moment under the action of a weak magnetic field. Take a completely different domain: gelatin, formed from col lagen fibres dissolved in hot water. When we cool below 37°C, gelation occurs, the chains joining up at various points to form a loose and highly deformable network. This is a natural example of soft matter. Going further, rather than consider a whole network, we could take a single chain of flexible polymer, such as polyoxyethylene [POE = (CH CH O)N, 2 2 5 where N rv 10 ], for example, in water. Such a chain is fragile and may break under flow. Even though hydrodynamic forces are very weak on the molecular scale, their cumulated effect may be significant. Think of a rope pulled from both ends by two groups of children. Even if each girl and boy cannot pull very hard, the rope can be broken when there are enough children pulling.

Magnetically responsive soft matter is a colloidal model system where interparticle interactions can be tuned through external magnetic fields. Covering the most recent literature in the field, with special emphasis on the physical mechanisms behind their rheological behaviour, this book aims to demonstrate the controllability of soft matter through an external (magnetic) stimulus. With chapters written by leading experts, fundamental topics are complemented by cutting edge research, in particular, discussions on advances in sedimentation stability, structural characterization using microCT, surface functionalization, bidisperse composites, self-assembly at interfaces and collective dynamics, friction and shear-thickening, dynamics, self-assembly and rheology under unsteady triaxial magnetic fields, theoretical developments and particle level numerical simulations, including contact forces and biomedical and tissue engineering applications. This complete perspective of the field attempts to bridge the gap between fundamentals and applications and is an excellent addition to any soft matter scientist’s library.

Magnetically responsive soft matter is a colloidal model system where interparticle interactions can be tuned through external magnetic fields. Covering the most recent literature in the field, with special emphasis on the physical mechanisms behind their rheological behaviour, this book aims to demonstrate the controllability of soft matter through an external (magnetic) stimulus. With chapters written by leading experts, fundamental topics are complemented by cutting edge research, in particular, discussions on advances in sedimentation stability, structural characterization using microCT, surface functionalization, bidisperse composites, self-assembly at interfaces and collective dynamics, friction and shear-thickening, dynamics, self-assembly and rheology under unsteady triaxial magnetic fields, theoretical developments and particle level numerical simulations, including contact forces and biomedical and tissue engineering applications. This complete perspective of the field attempts to bridge the gap between fundamentals and applications and is an excellent addition to any soft matter scientist’s library.

Self-assembly is one of the key concepts in contemporary soft condensed matter. It is an umbrella term which encompasses the various modes of spontaneous organization of micrometer-and submicrometer-sized particles into ordered structures of various degrees of complexity, yet it often relies on remarkably simple interactions and mechanisms. Self-assembly is one of the key principles used by nature to construct living matter, where it frequently takes place in a hierarchical fashion. This book contains the lectures from the Enrico Fermi summer school: Soft Matter Self-assembly, held in Varenna, Italy, in June and July 2015. The primary aim of the school was to cover the most exciting modern aspects of self-assembly in soft condensed matter physics, and to enable Ph.D. students and postdocs to engage with some of the most exciting and current topics in the physics of colloids through a series of mini-courses and seminars hosted by leading figures in the field. Subjects covered include: colloids with directional bonding; pathways of self-organization; self-assembly hydrodynamics; polymer structure and dynamics; liquid-crystal colloid dispersions; and self-organizing nanosystems. The proceedings also include two reprints from Reviews of Modern Physics, and will be of interest to both students and experts in the field.

The study of "soft matter" materials with complex properties has raised a number of interesting problems in basic physics, biology, and materials science, all of which promise new and important technological applications. After a review of chemical bonds and phase transitions, the authors treat topics such as surface phenomena, stability of colloidal systems, structural properties of polymers, and topological defects. The monograph's emphasis on underlying physical principles offers a coherent treatment of the great variety of research in the field.

This book is about field responsive fluids as smart materials, which includes magneto-rheological (MR) fluids, electro-rheological (ER) fluids and ferrofluids. It reviews the previous works and considers all the aspects that can help researchers and industries to choose proper materials as MR fluid constituents. Topics in magnetism and types of magnetic materials are presented. This includes the effect of magnetizable particles behaviors such as size, shape and density. The type of materials on the rheological properties is also compared for MR, ER and ferro-fluids. The second part of the book discusses advanced topics for MR, ER and ferro-fluids comparing some of the properties between the field responsive fluids. This book appeals to engineers, researchers and practitioners in the area of materials and mechanical engineering with interest in the field responsive fluids.

An essential textbook for graduate courses on magnetism and an important source of practical reference data.