This Research Topic was launched in connection with the Probing Out-of-Equilibrium Soft Matter symposium held at the University of Fribourg, October 22nd-23rd, 2021
Soft matter systems originate from the interplay between thermal, (bio)chemical, and mechanical forces over a wide range of spatio-temporal scales. In some cases, this interplay may lead to equilibrium states that are minima of a suitably-defined free energy landscape; more commonly, however, the soft matter system may be intrinsically active (e.g. bacterial suspensions), externally driven (e.g. under a constant or periodic shear), or ipso facto trapped in dynamically arrested states (e.g. in glasses or gels).
Novel tools are needed to capture the full complexity of these and other out-of-equilibrium soft systems; a particular challenge is getting access to and understanding the fast processes occurring at the nano- and micro-scale of the elementary constituents, while at the same time capturing the slower evolution of bulk properties in non-equilibrium conditions. These issues are open challenges for theoretical, numerical and experimental scientists interested in fundamental and applied research involving soft materials in non-equilibrium states.
Taking up this challenge involves the development of novel approaches that allow one to probe the structure, dynamics, thermodynamics and rheology of out-of-equilibrium soft matter systems. This often leads to new theoretical, numerical, and experimental methods and approaches. The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight the latest developments and recent advances with a broad perspective that includes studies addressing fundamental questions, as well as research focussing on processes and problems that are encountered in applications.
We invite submissions reporting on novel theoretical, numerical or experimental techniques for the (actual or potential) characterization of out-of-equilibrium soft materials. Typical examples include, but are not limited to:
- Characterization by optical (or other) means of systems kept out-of-equilibrium by external gradients or forces
- Rheo-scattering or rheo-microscopy of soft materials
- Advanced statistical, optical and mechanical methods for the characterization of biological motility
- Non-equilibrium fluctuations in complex fluids and soft solids
- Self-assembly, aggregation, gelation and glass transition of complex fluids
- Constitutive behavior of soft materials that yield, shear-thin or shear-thicken
- Microscopic simulations of mechanical instabilities and failure in soft matter
These contributions may take the form of:
- Brief Research Report
- Mini Review
- Original Research
- Perspective
- Review
- Technology and Code.
This Research Topic was launched in connection with the Probing Out-of-Equilibrium Soft Matter symposium held at the University of Fribourg, October 22nd-23rd, 2021
Soft matter systems originate from the interplay between thermal, (bio)chemical, and mechanical forces over a wide range of spatio-temporal scales. In some cases, this interplay may lead to equilibrium states that are minima of a suitably-defined free energy landscape; more commonly, however, the soft matter system may be intrinsically active (e.g. bacterial suspensions), externally driven (e.g. under a constant or periodic shear), or ipso facto trapped in dynamically arrested states (e.g. in glasses or gels).
Novel tools are needed to capture the full complexity of these and other out-of-equilibrium soft systems; a particular challenge is getting access to and understanding the fast processes occurring at the nano- and micro-scale of the elementary constituents, while at the same time capturing the slower evolution of bulk properties in non-equilibrium conditions. These issues are open challenges for theoretical, numerical and experimental scientists interested in fundamental and applied research involving soft materials in non-equilibrium states.
Taking up this challenge involves the development of novel approaches that allow one to probe the structure, dynamics, thermodynamics and rheology of out-of-equilibrium soft matter systems. This often leads to new theoretical, numerical, and experimental methods and approaches. The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight the latest developments and recent advances with a broad perspective that includes studies addressing fundamental questions, as well as research focussing on processes and problems that are encountered in applications.
We invite submissions reporting on novel theoretical, numerical or experimental techniques for the (actual or potential) characterization of out-of-equilibrium soft materials. Typical examples include, but are not limited to:
- Characterization by optical (or other) means of systems kept out-of-equilibrium by external gradients or forces
- Rheo-scattering or rheo-microscopy of soft materials
- Advanced statistical, optical and mechanical methods for the characterization of biological motility
- Non-equilibrium fluctuations in complex fluids and soft solids
- Self-assembly, aggregation, gelation and glass transition of complex fluids
- Constitutive behavior of soft materials that yield, shear-thin or shear-thicken
- Microscopic simulations of mechanical instabilities and failure in soft matter
These contributions may take the form of:
- Brief Research Report
- Mini Review
- Original Research
- Perspective
- Review
- Technology and Code.