Soft Matter Physics HT07

Project work

An individual project work is part of the course examination.

Topics for the project work can be anything of interest to the student. The list below contains some examples of what one might focus on. These are only suggestions, if you are interested in something else don't hesitate to embark on it:)

You must chose a topic for your project no later than 18 September. Please sign up for 1/2 h personal tutorial during week 38 by contacting either Johan or Aleksandar.

During the weeks 40-41 you will get additional 1/2 h of personal tutorial before you hand in your written report (2-4 pages including figures and references) on the last lecture 18/10 8.00.

Project topics:

- Particular experimental techniques:
NMR, light scattering, microscopy, diffraction, rheology…

- Particular topic of interest - go deeper!
Glasses, colloids, gels, polymers, soft matter in biology, self assembly, liquid crystals…

- Based on a scientific article:
Put an article in broader context and describe main physics and chemistry behind, as if you would write an introduction to it.

- Technological applications:
Thermoreversible gels for medical applications, metallic glasses in transformators or golf clubs, liquid crystals in clothing, superabsorbents in diapers, flexible alloys in airplanes, colloids for narcosis or lubricants, the list could go on…

- Biosensors:
Sensing biomolecules in medicin, chemistry or life sciences using surfactants, plasmonic nanoparticles, magnetic liquids...

- Soft matter in food:
The food industry is one of the most high tech industries for the moment…

- Energy materials:
Ionic liquids for fuel cells, membranes for fuel cells, electrolute gels for batteries, thin films for solar cells, surface manipulated materials for hydropower...

- Based on a theory:
Explore a fascinating theory. It can be mode coupling theory, Jamming, the Blob Model, Rouse dynamics, Casimir effect, percolation... you name it.

- Popular materials:
MCM-41 mesoporous materials, Nafion membranes, rocha gil, kevlar, nanotubes,...

- Water:
The worlds most abundant molecule is also the most difficult to understand. Focus on some of the anomalies of liquid water or ice.

- Do your own experiment:
Join a researcher in an experiment and do some real science.

- Do your own simulation/calculation:
Perform a simple simulation to a new scenario or try to repeat established research results.

Centre for Functional Soft Matter Chalmers University of Technology 41296 Göteborg, Sweden