Universität Wien
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520032 VU Soft Matter at Interfaces (2021W)

5.00 ECTS (3.00 SWS), SPL 52 - Doktoratsstudium Physik
Continuous assessment of course work
ON-SITE
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Due to Covid-19, teaching will take place in the form of remote learning. Materials and information will be distributed via Moodle and by email.

  • Wednesday 13.10. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 20.10. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 27.10. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 03.11. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 10.11. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 17.11. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 24.11. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 01.12. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 15.12. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 12.01. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Wednesday 19.01. 09:00 - 11:30 Seminarraum A, Währinger Straße 17, 2. Stk., 1090 Wien

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Whether you look at the OLED display of your smartphone, soap bubbles during showering, or your milk for breakfast, soft matter interfaces are ubiquitous. This course gives an introduction to the physical principles to understand the structure and dynamics of soft condensed matter adjacent to solid, liquid, and vapor interfaces.
In particular, we aim for the links connecting intermolecular forces with molecular scale structure, dynamics, and physical materials properties. The course further introduces the experimental techniques required to study soft matter interfaces on the relevant time and length scales. Focus is set to scattering and spectroscopic techniques, providing complementary information.
The course will enable you to understand numerous physical phenomena surrounding us in everyday live while also providing you with the basic knowledge for improving the performance of modern soft materials for specific applications. Examples help to develop a deeper understanding and to explore links to other branches of physics.

Topics:
Thermodynamics of interfaces
Surface tension
Interface induced phase transitions
Adsorption and wetting
Charged interfaces and Helmholtz double layer
Surfactants and Emulsions
Interfacial freezing and premelting
Liquids in nanoporous materials
Self-organization of soft matter thin films
X-ray and neutron scattering
Reflectometry
X-ray spectroscopy

Assessment and permitted materials

For each topic there will be homework exercises to recapitulate the knowledge and reach in-depth understanding. Working in small teams of 2-4 students is encouraged. During last lecture, each student gives a short presentation (approx. 12 min) of a scientific paper related to the topics of the course. Papers can be suggested by the students or selected from a given selection.

This course is suited for students in the Doctoral and Master program.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Over the semester, students should have prepared solutions for at least 50% of the exercises and present and discuss their work at least 5 times orally at the blackboard in front of their colleagues. Regular active participation in the exercise discussions. Short presentation of a scientific paper.

1. Excellent knowledge, can explain and apply concepts and equations: 1 (SEHR GUT)
2. Good knowledge, can explain concepts and equations: 2 (GUT)
3. Good knowledge, can understand concepts and equations: 3 (BEFRIEDIGEND)
4. Basic knowledge of concepts, can understand equations: 4 (GENUEGEND)
5. Else: 5 (NICHT GENUEGEND)

Final grad calculation:
1/3 written exercises
1/3 oral contribution incl. presentation
1/3 presentation of scientific paper

Examination topics

Content covered in the course. Slides will be provided online. Taking notes during the classes is recommended.

Reading list

Metin Tolan
X-Ray Scattering from Soft-Matter Thin Films
Springer (1999)
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2FBFb0112834

Jens Als-Nielsen, Des McMorrow
Elements of Modern X-ray Physics
2nd Edition, Wiley (2011)

Liquid Surfaces and Interfaces: Synchrotron X-ray Methods
Peter S. Pershan, Mark Schlossman
Cambridge University Press (2012)

Physics and Chemistry of Interfaces
Hans-Jürgen Butt, Karlheinz Graf, Michael Kappl
3rd Edition, Wiley (2013)

Association in the course directory

M-VAF A2, M-VAF B

Last modified: Mo 22.11.2021 12:10