Special topic on soft matter science and technology

• 来源期刊: 中国科学:化学（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2018,（1）
• 页码范围: 1-2
• 页数: 2页
• 语种: 英文

摘要

Soft matter,as first proposed by de Gennes in 1991,describes a broad range of molecular systems exhibiting a large response to small foreign stimuli.Typically,it includes colloidal particles,amphiphiles,liquid crystals,polymers and others.The term "soft" originates from the common macroscopic properties of these systems and differentiates them from conventional "hard" materials.Over the past decades,the field of "soft matter" has progressed tremendously.Today,it is a truly multidisciplinary research endeavor bridging physics with chemistry and life science.There are many research activities all over the world that are solely devoted to the field of soft matter.In turn,the in-depth understanding of soft matter has promoted our science and technology and helped shaping our civilization as it is now.