News

8th March 2022
The new concept makes it possible to induce complex behaviour in adaptive and communicating soft matter microsystems. Copyright: Avik Samanta

Towards the Minimalistic Design of Life-like Abiotic Systems

We unravelled polymer-like phase-separation behaviour in multiblock single-stranded DNA which provides an opportunity to fabricate all-DNA protocells with several encoded sequences for post-functionalization with spatio-temporal... (Read more)
19th November 2021
Visualization of the exchange mechanism of telechelic chains in flower-like micelles via a sequence of consecutive equilibrium steps. Diffusion of free telechelic chains is excluded. Reprinted with permission from König N. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 197801 (2020). Copyright 2020 by the American Physical Society.

Molecular Exchange of Telechelic Polymer Micelles

Telechelic polymers encompass many interesting aspects of soft matter physics – including hierarchical self-assembly, non-Newtonian flow behaviour, and colloidal interactions. Furthermore, they are important as associative thickeners in products used in daily life... (Read more)
18th November 2021

The GNeuS Project

Research with neutrons provides unique insights into materials and phenomena that cannot be gained using other methods. From this autumn, a groundbreaking project will ensure the most effective use of the research potential... (Read more)
26th October 2021
Experimental maps of the local dynamics over 1 s for a biopolymer under creep, measured by time- and space-resolved dynamic light scattering. Labels: time before failure. Copyright: University of Montpellier and CNRS

Creep Dynamics and Failure of a Biopolymer Gel

Failure is a topic that has received a lot of attention in the community of soft matter from a scientific and industrial point of view. Among soft systems, understanding failure in biopolymer gels... (Read more)
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