This invaluable book explores the delicate interplay between geometry and statistical mechanics in materials such as microemulsions, wetting and growth interfaces, bulk lyotropic liquid crystals, chalcogenide glasses and sheet polymers, using tools from the fields of polymer physics, differential geometry, field theory and critical phenomena. Several chapters have been updated relative to the classic 1989 edition. Moreover, there are now three entirely new chapters — on effects of anisotropy and heterogeneity, on fixed connectivity membranes and on triangulated surface models of fluctuating membranes.

This invaluable book explores the delicate interplay between geometry and statistical mechanics in materials such as microemulsions, wetting and growth interfaces, bulk lyotropic liquid crystals, chalcogenide glasses and sheet polymers, using tools from the fields of polymer physics, differential geometry, field theory and critical phenomena. Several chapters have been updated relative to the classic 1989 edition. Morever, there are now three entirely new chapters -- on effects of anisotropy and heterogeneity, on fixed connectivity membranes and on triangulated surface models of fluctuating membranes.

"Soft matter science is an interdisciplinary field at the interface of physics, biology, chemistry, engineering, and materials science. It encompasses colloids, polymers, and liquid crystals as well as rapidly emerging topics such as metamaterials, memory formation and learning in matter, bioactive systems, and artificial life. This textbook introduces key phenomena and concepts in soft matter from a modern perspective, marrying established knowledge with the latest developments and applications. The presentation integrates statistical mechanics, dynamical systems, and hydrodynamic approaches, emphasizing conservation laws and broken symmetries as guiding principles while paying attention to computational and machine learning advances. The book features introductory chapters on fluid mechanics, elasticity, and stochastic phenomena and also covers advanced topics such as pattern formation and active matter. it discusses technological applications as well as relevant phenomena in the life sciences and offers perspectives on emerging research directions"--

Frustrated spin systems have been first investigated five decades ago. Well-known examples include the Ising model on the antiferromagnetic triangular lattice studied by G H Wannier in 1950 and the Heisenberg helical structure discovered independently by A Yoshimori, J Villainn and T A Kaplan in 1959. However, extensive investigations on frustrated spin systems have really started with the concept of frustration introduced at the same time by G Toulouse and by J Villain in 1977 in the context of spin glasses. The frustration is generated by the competition of different kinds of interaction and/or by the lattice geometry. As a result, in the ground state all bonds are not fully satisfied. In frustrated Ising spin systems, a number of spins behave as free spins. In frustrated vector spin systems, the ground-state configuration is usually non-collinear. The ground state of frustrated spin systems is therefore highly degenerate and new induced symmetries give rise to unexpected behaviors at finite temperatures. Many properties of frustrated systems are still not well understood at present. Theoretically, recent studies shown in this book reveal that established theories, numerical simulations as well as experimental techniques have encountered many difficulties in dealing with frustrated systems. In some sense, frustrated systems provide an excellent testing ground for approximations and theories. Experimentally, more and more frustrated materials are discovered with interesting properties for applications.

Giant vesicles are widely used as a model membrane system, both for basic biological systems and for their promising applications in the development of smart materials and cell mimetics, as well as in driving new technologies in synthetic biology and for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry. The reader is guided to use giant vesicles, from the formation of simple membrane platforms to advanced membrane and cell system models. It also includes fundamentals for understanding lipid or polymer membrane structure, properties and behavior. Every chapter includes ideas for further applications and discussions on the implications of the observed phenomena towards understanding membrane-related processes. The Giant Vesicle Book is meant to be a road companion, a trusted guide for those making their first steps in this field as well as a source of information required by experts. Key Features • A complete summary of the field, covering fundamental concepts, practical methods, core theory, and the most promising applications • A start-up package of theoretical and experimental information for newcomers in the field • Extensive protocols for establishing the required preparations and assays • Tips and instructions for carefully performing and interpreting measurements with giant vesicles or for observing them, including pitfalls • Approaches developed for investigating giant vesicles as well as brief overviews of previous studies implementing the described techniques • Handy tables with data and structures for ready reference

This is the second book in the Handbook of Modern Biophysics series, dedicated to fundamental topics and new applications in biophysics. This book on biomembranes covers theory and application and includes problem sets, references and guides for further study.

Understanding the structural and thermodynamic properties of surfaces, interfaces, and membranes is important for both fundamental and practical reasons. Important applications include coatings, dispersants, encapsulating agents, and biological materials. Soft materials, important in the development of new materials and the basis of many biological systems, cannot be designed using trial and error methods due to the multiplicity of components and parameters. While these systems can sometimes be analyzed in terms of microscopic mixtures, it is often conceptually simpler to regard them as dispersions and to focus on the properties of the internal interfaces found in these systems. The basic physics centers on the properties of quasi-two-dimensional systems embedded in the three-dimensional world, thus exhibiting phenomena that do not exist in bulk materials. This approach is the basis behind the theoretical presentation of Statistical Thermodynamics of Surfaces, Interfaces, and Membranes. The approach adapted allows one to treat the rich diversity of phenomena investigated in the field of soft matter physics (including both colloid/interface science as well as the materials and macromolecular aspects of biological physics) such as interfacial tension, the roughening transition, wetting, interactions between surfaces, membrane elasticity, and self-assembly. Presented as a set of lecture notes, this book is aimed at physicists, physical chemists, biological physicists, chemical engineers, and materials scientists who are interested in the statistical mechanics that underlie the macroscopic, thermodynamic properties of surfaces, interfaces, and membranes. This paperback edition contains all the material published in the original hard-cover edition as well as additional clarifications and explanations.

The morphology of spatially stuctured materials is a rapidly growing field of research at the interface of statistical physics, applied mathematics and materials science. A wide spectrum of applications encompasses the flow through porous and composite materials as well as microemulsions and foams. Written as a set of lectures and tutorial reviews leading up to the forefront of research, this book will be both a compendium for the experienced researcher as well as a high level introductory text for postgraduate students and nonspecialist researchers working in related areas.

As a paradigm for the future, micro-scale technology seeks to fuse revolutionary concepts in science and engineering and then translate it into reality. Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that aims to connect what is seen with the naked eye and what is unseen on the molecular level. The Handbook of Research on Diverse Applications of Nanotechnology in Biomedicine, Chemistry, and Engineering examines the strengths and future potential of micro-scale technologies in a variety of industries. Highlighting the benefits, shortcomings, and emerging perspectives in the application of nano-scale technologies, this book is a comprehensive reference source for synthetic chemists, engineers, graduate students, and researchers with an interest in the multidisciplinary applications, as well as the ongoing research in the field.

"Statistical Mechanics in a Nutshell offers a concise, self-contained advanced undergraduate to graduate level introduction to this rapidly developing field, requiring a background in elementary calculus and elementary mechanics. It starts with the basics, introduces the most important developments in classical statistical mechanics over the last thirty years, and guides readers to the very threshold of today's cutting-edge research. The author has revised the first 5 chapters (harmonizing the notation, improving the proofs, checking all exercises and adding a few additional interesting ones). He has also added a new chapter on stochastic thermodynamics, which finds its place after the 9th chapter. The appendices will also be completely rewritten, emphasizing the role of convexity and the Jensen inequality. Chapter 8 will be improved to include some important topics: namely, thermostats and fast algorithms. Chapter 9 will also be rewritten to modernize it and to transition to the new chapter on stochastic thermodynamics. Chapter 10 will be split in two, to focus on "disordered systems" and "complex systems," to emphasize applications (including neural networks and optimization algorithms), and to introduce some fundamental techniques (like the cavity method and message passing) at an elementary level. The goal of the new edition is to help the reader find her/his way into and through the vast, recent literature concerning statistical mechanics and to build a sense of the many fields in which the discipline has recently been applied"--