Introduction to Soft Condensed Matter Physics

3 credits · Undergraduate

The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to some concepts used in soft condensed matter physics through the study of three systems, polymers, colloids and liquid crystals.The course will be divided in four modules:I) Brownian dynamics and diffusionII) Polymers shape, molecular mass distribution, osmotic pressure, gel, entropic elasticityIII) Colloids: van der Waals and electrostatic interactions, Hamaker constant, DLVO theory, polymer layers (brushes), gel electrophoresisIV) Liquid crystals: order parameter, optical properties of nematics (birefringence), phase transitions, LCD PREREQUISITES: MATH 2001.03, MATH 2120.03 FORMATS: Lecture