Table of Contents

1: Introduction and overview
2: Forces, energies and timescales in condensed matter
3: Phase transitions
4: Colloidal dispersions
5: Polymers
6: Gelation
7: Molecular order on soft condensed matter - liquid crystallinity
8: Molecular order in soft condensed matter - crystallinity in polymers
9: Supramolecular self-assembly in soft condensed matter
10: Soft matter in nature
A: Some results from statistical mechanics
B: The distribution function on an ideal random walk
Bibliography

About the Author

Prof. Richard A.L. Jones, University of Sheffield, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, Tel.: 0114/2224530, Fax: 0114/2728079, Email: r.a.l.jones@sheffield.ac.uk

Reviews

... it will be an asset to my reference bookshelf. Contemporary Physics ... well structured ... The author is a highly able physicist and this high level of understanding of the basis of the subject matter is reflected in the clear explanations given in turn to each section of this subject area. Contemporary Physics ... an excellent introduction to the topic ... suitable for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students of physics, chemistry, materials science and chemical engineering. Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie I found myself reading it from cover to cover. The equations were explained, the modifications to the theories that brought them into line with real life were outlined, and there wasn't even all that much maths that I could skip. Maybe the physics has moved on or maybe Richard Jones has simply presented it more clearly and relevantly. Chemistry in Britain