materials-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Soft Matter

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Soft Matter".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2024 | Viewed by 7559

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
Interests: liquid crystals; chiral liquid crystals; ferroelectric liquid crystals; polymer stabilized liquid crystals; nanoparticles in anisotropic fluids; liquid crystal-nanotube dispersions; defects and defect dynamics; phase ordering in soft matter; fractal structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Launched in 2008, Materials has provided readers with high-quality content edited by active researchers in materials science for 15 years through a model of sustainable open access and outstanding editorial service. Today, the published papers receive more than 1,500,000 views per month, with readers from more than 150 countries and regions.

We would like to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the journal Materials with a Special Issue on the recent advances in soft matter.

As already suggested by their name, soft materials are those that can be stimulated by very small energies of the order of thermal fluctuations, kT. They possess extremely small elastic constants and the respective deforming forces can be mechanical, electric, magnetic, thermal or even optic in nature. Further, soft matter often exhibits the properties of self-assembly and self-organisation. The main representatives of this class of materials are soft polymers, colloidal solids and liquid crystals, but it also includes granular matter, foams, gels, soft interfaces, surfactants and biological macromolecules.

A fundamental understanding of soft matter is of outstanding importance both from an experimental and theoretical point of view, and simulations can be carried out to be able to control, tune, tailor, enhance and predict their properties. It is then possible to exploit these materials in countless applications, as is already conducted, for example, in packaging materials, the food and beauty industry, healthcare and medicine, displays and switchable optical components, and fabrics.

Contributions to this Special Issue can cover a broad field of topics, as indicated by the keywords, which is by no means exhaustive and should be seen as a general guide.

Dr. Ingo Dierking
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soft polymers
  • colloidal solids
  • liquid crystals (thermotropic or lyotropic)
  • gels, foams, surfactants, soft interfaces, suspensions and complex fluids
  • biological materials
  • granular matter
  • self-assembly and self-organisation
  • active matter
  • soft (tuneable) photonic and metamaterials
  • stimuli responsive soft materials (thermal, electric, magnetic, mechanical and optic)
  • new experimental techniques for soft matter (mechanical, rheological, scattering, imaging and microscopic)
  • theory and simulation of soft matter
  • phase transitions and glass transition
  • application of machine learning to soft matter

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 5337 KiB  
Article
Ad Hoc Modeling of Rate-Dependent Adhesion in Indentation Relaxation Testing
by Ivan I. Argatov, Iakov A. Lyashenko and Valentin L. Popov
Materials 2024, 17(16), 3944; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17163944 - 8 Aug 2024
Viewed by 596
Abstract
The phenomenon of rate-dependent adhesion has long been recognized as an intricate problem, and the so-far-developed physics and mechanics-based approaches resulted in analytical relations between the implicit form between the work of adhesion and the contact front velocity which are difficult to implement [...] Read more.
The phenomenon of rate-dependent adhesion has long been recognized as an intricate problem, and the so-far-developed physics and mechanics-based approaches resulted in analytical relations between the implicit form between the work of adhesion and the contact front velocity which are difficult to implement in practice. To address this issue in the framework of spherical indentation, the adhesion relaxation test in a nominal point contact is introduced to estimate the rate-dependent adhesion. Based on a stretched exponent approximation for the contact radius evolution with time, a relatively simple four-parameter model is proposed for the functional relation between the work of adhesion and the contact front velocity, and its fitting performance is compared to that of the known Greenwood–Johnson and Persson–Brener models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Soft Matter)
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2197 KiB  
Article
Reverse Micelles Extraction of Prolamin from Baijiu Jiuzao: Impact of Isolation Process on Protein Structure and Morphology
by Ting-Ting Yu, Fu-Rong Yang, Yao Su, Yi-Heng Qi, Yi Liu and Nan Hu
Materials 2024, 17(12), 2901; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17122901 - 13 Jun 2024
Viewed by 575
Abstract
Prolamins, proteins derived from plants, have extensive applications in pharmaceutics and food science. Jiuzao is a byproduct of the Baijiu brewing industry, and is a great source of prolamin. Despite its importance, knowledge regarding the extraction techniques and the properties of prolamin derived [...] Read more.
Prolamins, proteins derived from plants, have extensive applications in pharmaceutics and food science. Jiuzao is a byproduct of the Baijiu brewing industry, and is a great source of prolamin. Despite its importance, knowledge regarding the extraction techniques and the properties of prolamin derived from Baijiu Jiuzao (PBJ) remains limited. Reverse micelles (RMs) extraction offers an efficient and cost-effective method for purifying proteins. In the present study, prolamin was extracted from Baijiu Jiuzao using RMs extraction and subsequently characterized in terms of its secondary structure, morphology, and particle size distribution. Our findings indicate that the purified prolamin extracted using further RMs extraction possessed higher α-helix content (+13.25%), forming a large-scale protein network, and narrower particle size distributions compared to the crude prolamin obtained by NaOH-ethanol method. This research suggests that RMs extraction has potential applications in extracting prolamin from brewing industry byproducts, offering an environmentally friendly approach to Baijiu Jiuzao recycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Soft Matter)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 3063 KiB  
Article
Microwave Synthesis of Poly(Acrylic) Acid-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles as Draw Solutes in Forward Osmosis
by Sabina Vohl, Irena Ban, Miha Drofenik, Hermina Buksek, Sašo Gyergyek, Irena Petrinic, Claus Hélix-Nielsen and Janja Stergar
Materials 2023, 16(11), 4138; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16114138 - 1 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1455
Abstract
Polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNP@PAA) were synthesized and evaluated as draw solutes in the forward osmosis (FO) process. MNP@PAA were synthesized by microwave irradiation and chemical co-precipitation from aqueous solutions of Fe2+ and Fe3+ salts. The results showed that the [...] Read more.
Polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNP@PAA) were synthesized and evaluated as draw solutes in the forward osmosis (FO) process. MNP@PAA were synthesized by microwave irradiation and chemical co-precipitation from aqueous solutions of Fe2+ and Fe3+ salts. The results showed that the synthesized MNPs have spherical shapes of maghemite Fe2O3 and superparamagnetic properties, which allow draw solution (DS) recovery using an external magnetic field. Synthesized MNP, coated with PAA, yielded an osmotic pressure of ~12.8 bar at a 0.7% concentration, resulting in an initial water flux of 8.1 LMH. The MNP@PAA particles were captured by an external magnetic field, rinsed in ethanol, and re-concentrated as DS in repetitive FO experiments with deionized water as a feed solution (FS). The osmotic pressure of the re-concentrated DS was 4.1 bar at a 0.35% concentration, resulting in an initial water flux of 2.1 LMH. Taken together, the results show the feasibility of using MNP@PAA particles as draw solutes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Soft Matter)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

23 pages, 5690 KiB  
Review
Ionic Liquid Crystals as Chromogenic Materials
by Andreia F. M. Santos, João L. Figueirinhas, Madalena Dionísio, Maria H. Godinho and Luis C. Branco
Materials 2024, 17(18), 4563; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184563 - 17 Sep 2024
Viewed by 405
Abstract
Ionic liquid crystals (ILCs), a class of soft matter materials whose properties can be tuned by the wise pairing of the cation and anion, have recently emerged as promising candidates for different applications, combining the characteristics of ionic liquids and liquid crystals. Among [...] Read more.
Ionic liquid crystals (ILCs), a class of soft matter materials whose properties can be tuned by the wise pairing of the cation and anion, have recently emerged as promising candidates for different applications, combining the characteristics of ionic liquids and liquid crystals. Among those potential uses, this review aims to cover chromogenic ILCs. In this context, examples of photo-, electro- and thermochromism based on ILCs are provided. Furthermore, thermotropic and lyotropic ionic liquid crystals are also summarised, including the most common chemical and phase structures, as well as the advantages of confining these materials. This manuscript also comprises the following main experimental techniques used to characterise ILCs: Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Polarised Optical Microscopy (POM) and X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD). Chromogenic ILCs can be interesting smart materials for energy and health purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Soft Matter)
Show Figures

Figure 1

32 pages, 11300 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of Stimuli-Responsive Smart Polymer Materials—Recent Advances and Future Perspectives
by Alicja Balcerak-Woźniak, Monika Dzwonkowska-Zarzycka and Janina Kabatc-Borcz
Materials 2024, 17(17), 4255; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17174255 - 28 Aug 2024
Viewed by 894
Abstract
Today, smart materials are commonly used in various fields of science and technology, such as medicine, electronics, soft robotics, the chemical industry, the automotive field, and many others. Smart polymeric materials hold good promise for the future due to their endless possibilities. This [...] Read more.
Today, smart materials are commonly used in various fields of science and technology, such as medicine, electronics, soft robotics, the chemical industry, the automotive field, and many others. Smart polymeric materials hold good promise for the future due to their endless possibilities. This group of advanced materials can be sensitive to changes or the presence of various chemical, physical, and biological stimuli, e.g., light, temperature, pH, magnetic/electric field, pressure, microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, toxic substances, and many others. This review concerns the newest achievements in the area of smart polymeric materials. The recent advances in the designing of stimuli-responsive polymers are described in this paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Soft Matter)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

28 pages, 10595 KiB  
Review
The Application of Regenerated Silk Fibroin in Tissue Repair
by Zhaoyi Li, Guohongfang Tan, Huilin Xie and Shenzhou Lu
Materials 2024, 17(16), 3924; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17163924 - 7 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1124
Abstract
Silk fibroin (SF) extracted from silk is non-toxic and has excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, making it an excellent biomedical material. SF-based soft materials, including porous scaffolds and hydrogels, play an important role in accurately delivering drugs to wounds, creating microenvironments for the adhesion [...] Read more.
Silk fibroin (SF) extracted from silk is non-toxic and has excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, making it an excellent biomedical material. SF-based soft materials, including porous scaffolds and hydrogels, play an important role in accurately delivering drugs to wounds, creating microenvironments for the adhesion and proliferation of support cells, and in tissue remodeling, repair, and wound healing. This article focuses on the study of SF protein-based soft materials, summarizing their preparation methods and basic applications, as well as their regenerative effects, such as drug delivery carriers in various aspects of tissue engineering such as bone, blood vessels, nerves, and skin in recent years, as well as their promoting effects on wound healing and repair processes. The authors expect SF soft materials to play an important role in the field of tissue repair. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Soft Matter)
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 7003 KiB  
Review
Research Progress of Electrically Driven Multi-Stable Cholesteric Liquid Crystals
by Kainan Wang, Wentuo Hu, Wanli He, Zhou Yang, Hui Cao, Dong Wang and Yuzhan Li
Materials 2024, 17(1), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17010136 - 27 Dec 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1290
Abstract
Electrically driven multi-stable cholesteric liquid crystals can be used to adjust the transmittance of incident light. Compared with the traditional liquid crystal optical devices, the multi-stable devices only apply an electric field during switching and do not require a continuous electric field to [...] Read more.
Electrically driven multi-stable cholesteric liquid crystals can be used to adjust the transmittance of incident light. Compared with the traditional liquid crystal optical devices, the multi-stable devices only apply an electric field during switching and do not require a continuous electric field to maintain the various optical states of the device. Therefore, the multi-stable devices have low energy consumption and have become a research focus for researchers. However, the multi-stable devices still have shortcomings before practical application, such as contrast, switching time, and mechanical strength. In this article, the latest research progress on electrically driven multi-stable cholesteric liquid crystals is reviewed, including electrically driven multi-stable modes, performance optimization, and applications. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of electrically driven multi-stable cholesteric liquid crystals are discussed in anticipation of contributing to the development of multi-stable liquid crystal devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 15th Anniversary of Materials—Recent Advances in Soft Matter)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop