Soft Matter Blog

Preparation of polymer single chain nanoparticles using intramolecular photodimerization of coumarin. An easy method for preparing polymer single chain nanoparticles has been developed by scientists at Université de Sherbrooke, Canada. The method uses the photodimerization of coumarin groups located on the same chain to obtain the intrachain cross-linking required for chain collapse in solution. This approach be used as a nanoreactor for the synthesis of AuNPs and provides a way to optically control the kinetics of AuNP formation. (Soft Matter, 2011, Advance Article DOI:10.1039/C0SM01383H)

Three-dimensional patterning of porous materials using vapor phase polymerization. Scientists at University of Southern California, USA, have demonstrated that solventless initiated chemical vapor deposition can be used for three-dimensional patterning of porous substrates. They demonstrated the utility of their patterning process by fabricating three-dimensional hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions into the chromatography paper for use as paper-based microfluidic devices. The patterning process represents an environmentally friendly method to pattern three-dimensional materials since no organic solvents are used during the polymerization process or patterning step the team claim. (Soft Matter, 2011, Advance Article DOI:10.1039/C0SM01214A)

Deformation induced pattern transformation in a soft granular crystal. A novel pattern transformation when regular arrays of macroscopic particles are subjected to uniaxial compression has been discovered by a team of scientists based in USA, UK, and The Netherlands. The team used a combined experimental and numerical study to uncover the transformation. They say the 2D granular crystals studied in the current study combined with pattern transformation could find interesting applications in tunable phononic devices and that the same mechanism could offer colour tuning by mechanical loading and other novel applications in photonic crystals. (Soft Matter, 2011, Advance Article DOI:10.1039/C0SM01408G)

An excellent overview of an emerging strategy for synthesising hydrogels with more specific bio-responsiveness. Known protein motions are used as building blocks for synthetic dynamic materials, exploiting the conformational changes in proteins in response to specific biochemical triggers. Potential applications include drug delivery and bio-sensing.

Read the article for free here until March 18. William L. Murphy, Soft Matter, 2011, (Advance Articl3), DOI: 10.1039/C0SM01351J, Emerging Area.

Nanofluidic networks created and controlled by light. Nanofluidic networks have been fabricated in an oil-in-water emulsion by a team from the UK. In this hot paper, the authors demonstrate the principles required to create networks of micron-sized reactors connected by conduits less than 100 nm in diameter and to transfer reagents between them, entirely with lasers. These networks form a platform for chemistry on the attolitre scale and could open a path to controlled chemical reactions between single molecules the team claim. (Soft Matter, 2011, DOI:10.1039/C0SM01183E Advance Article)

Cluster theory of Janus particles. A cluster theory for the vapor of Janus fluid has been constructed by a team from Italy and South Africa. The team say that main idea behind the present approach is to consider the vapor phase as formed by clusters, containing an increasing number of particles, that are weakly interacting among each other so that simple fluid models—such as ideal gas or hard spheres—can be used to mimick their physical properties. (Soft Matter, 2011, DOI:10.1039/C0SM00995D Advance Article)

Read both articles for free until 18th March.

Researchers have overcome solubility issues with cyclohexasilane by encapsulating it in copolymer micelles. The silane exhibits a stable host-guest interaction with the amphiphilic invertible polymers. Liquid precursors, such as cyclohexasilane are important for manufacturing electronic devices, similar to the ink component in inkjet printing.

Read the communication free here until 18 April. Ananiy Kohut, Xuliang Dai, Danielle Pinnick, Douglas L. Schulz and Andriy Voronov, Soft Matter, 2011, (Advance Article), DOI: 10.1039/C0SM01337D, Communication

A novel fusion assay based on pore-spanning membranes has overcome the drawbacks of black lipid- and solid supported-membranes. This assay was able to monitor the calcium ion mediated fusion of lipid membranes, an important process in biology.

Scanning ion conductance microscopy investigated the change in morphology of the pore membrane after coating of the pore holes by the lipids.

Read the article for free here until Marth 11.

Ines Höfer and Claudia Steinem, Soft Matter, 2011, (Advance Article), DOI: 10.1039/C0SM01429J, Communication

Researchers show that the spherical harmonics parameterization (SHP) method reliably calculates vesicle and cell morphology. Most importantly, SHP calculated the shape of red blood cells (RBC), reproducing the slightly out-of-plane spicules observed experimentally for echinocytes (crenated RBCs).

Read the article here, for free until 11 March: Khaled Khairy and Jonathon Howard
Soft Matter, 2011, (Advance Article), DOI: 10.1039/C0SM01193B, Paper