Quasicrystals in soft condensed matter

Positron kinetics in soft condensed matter.

We outline a new kinetic theory for positrons in soft matter, which blends together cross sections for positrons scattering from single molecules, with the structure function of the medium as a whole. Numerical results are presented for positrons in liquid argon, where negative differential conductivity arises from both positron formation and the structure of the medium.

Soft Condensed Matter (Materia Condensata Soffice)

This article was written for a multi-volume History of Science, and published in Italian translation: Storia della Scienza, Volume IX, La Grande Scienza, pp 645–656 (Published by Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Fondata da Giovanni Treccani, 2003). In it, I describe the evolution of soft matter physics as a discipline during the 20th century. Soft Condensed Matter (Materia Condensata Soffi...

Shock ( Blast ) Mitigation by “ Soft ” Condensed Matter

It is a common point that “soft” condensed matter (like granular materials or foams) can reduce damage caused by impact or explosion. It is attributed to their ability to absorb significant energy. This is certainly the case for quasistatic type of deformation at low velocity of impact widely used for packing of fragile devices. At the same time a mitigation of blast phenomena must take into ac...

Self-assembly of soft-matter quasicrystals and their approximants.

The surprising recent discoveries of quasicrystals and their approximants in soft-matter systems poses the intriguing possibility that these structures can be realized in a broad range of nanoscale and microscale assemblies. It has been theorized that soft-matter quasicrystals and approximants are largely entropically stabilized, but the thermodynamic mechanism underlying their formation remain...

Critical Soft Matter Boulder Summer School for Condensed Matter and Materials Physics: Soft Matter In and Out of Equilibrium 2015