Themed collection Soft Matter Most Popular 2021

20 items
Review Article

Data-driven algorithms for inverse design of polymers

The ever-increasing demand for novel polymers with superior properties requires a deeper understanding and exploration of the chemical space.

Graphical abstract: Data-driven algorithms for inverse design of polymers
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Review Article

A decade of innovation and progress in understanding the morphology and structure of heterogeneous polymers in rigid confinement

Confining the polymers influences their properties, while opening new platforms for novel applications at the nanometer scale.

Graphical abstract: A decade of innovation and progress in understanding the morphology and structure of heterogeneous polymers in rigid confinement
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Review Article

Adhesion behaviors on four special wettable surfaces: natural sources, mechanisms, fabrications and applications

The surface of plants in nature contains important wetting and adhesion models. By studying their microstructure and chemical composition, the wetting mechanism can be modeled, and its fabrications and applications can be inspired and influenced.

Graphical abstract: Adhesion behaviors on four special wettable surfaces: natural sources, mechanisms, fabrications and applications
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Review Article

Elastin-inspired supramolecular hydrogels: a multifaceted extracellular matrix protein in biomedical engineering

The phenomenal advancement in regenerative medicines has led to the development of bioinspired materials to fabricate a biomimetic artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) to support cellular survival, proliferation, and differentiation.

Graphical abstract: Elastin-inspired supramolecular hydrogels: a multifaceted extracellular matrix protein in biomedical engineering
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Review Article

Stimuli-responsive engineered living materials

Engineered living materials integrate genetic engineering and synthetic materials to program stimuli responses that enable the fabrication of devices for diverse applications.

Graphical abstract: Stimuli-responsive engineered living materials
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Open Access Communication

Linear triglycerol-based fluorosurfactants show high potential for droplet-microfluidics-based biochemical assays

We decoupled the influence of different spatial geometries of oligoglycerol-based head groups and contributed to the goal of rational fluorosurfactant design for droplet microfluidics-based water-in-oil emulsions and suited applications.

Graphical abstract: Linear triglycerol-based fluorosurfactants show high potential for droplet-microfluidics-based biochemical assays
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

Exploring water in oil emulsions simultaneously stabilized by solid hydrophobic silica nanospheres and hydrophilic soft PNIPAM microgel

Using well-defined stabilizers allows generalizable predictions on the emulsion structure of w/o emulsions stabilized by hydrophilic microgels and hydrophobic nanoparticles.

Graphical abstract: Exploring water in oil emulsions simultaneously stabilized by solid hydrophobic silica nanospheres and hydrophilic soft PNIPAM microgel
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

Fingering instability in spreading epithelial monolayers: roles of cell polarisation, substrate friction and contractile stresses

Numerical simulations and linear stability analyses of expanding cellular monolayers suggest cell–substrate friction is responsible for fingers at the edge. A critical contractile stress characterises wetting-dewetting; dewetting inhibits fingering.

Graphical abstract: Fingering instability in spreading epithelial monolayers: roles of cell polarisation, substrate friction and contractile stresses
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Open Access Paper

Shear thickening behavior in dense repulsive and attractive suspensions of hard spheres

Simulated particle networks (different solid colors) in a strongly attractive suspension at low shear stress. The distribution of the typical cluster size in the transient regime is more fragmented, prompting the unstable behavior of the suspension.

Graphical abstract: Shear thickening behavior in dense repulsive and attractive suspensions of hard spheres
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

Surface alignment of ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals

The coupling of the newly discovered ferroelectric liquid crystal with solid surface gives rise to a variety of orientation, defects and electric field response that are a consequence of the polar symmetry breaking and depend on the specific surface.

Graphical abstract: Surface alignment of ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Open Access Paper

Impact of a microfluidic jet on a pendant droplet

The impact of microscopic jets on pendant liquid droplets is studied experimentally. The critical traversing jet velocity is predicted, which explains how the phenomena are governed by the impact inertia, the surface tension of the droplet and viscoelastic effects.

Graphical abstract: Impact of a microfluidic jet on a pendant droplet
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

On the relationship between cutting and tearing in soft elastic solids

Unique observations of cutting energy in silicone elastomers motivate a picture of soft fracture that qualitatively and quantitatively links far-field tearing with push cutting for the first time.

Graphical abstract: On the relationship between cutting and tearing in soft elastic solids
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Editor-in-Chief's Choice
Paper

Structure and dynamics of ions in dipolar solvents: a coarse-grained simulation study

We employ the coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the fundamental structural and dynamic properties of the ionic solution with and without the application of an external electric field.

Graphical abstract: Structure and dynamics of ions in dipolar solvents: a coarse-grained simulation study
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

Actin filament alignment causes mechanical hysteresis in cross-linked networks

We investigate biopolymer networks with long lasting stiffening in the direction of previously applied stress. We find this phenomenon depends on the network having a non-linear shear response and the ability of filaments to rearrange under stress.

Graphical abstract: Actin filament alignment causes mechanical hysteresis in cross-linked networks
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

Propelling microdroplets generated and sustained by liquid–liquid phase separation in confined spaces

Liquid transport in a confined space can be enhanced via propelling microdroplets. These microdroplets form spontaneously from localized liquid–liquid phase separation as a ternary mixture is diluted by a diffusing poor solvent.

Graphical abstract: Propelling microdroplets generated and sustained by liquid–liquid phase separation in confined spaces
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

Spatial velocity correlations in inertial systems of active Brownian particles

The velocity field of systems of active Brownian particles at high density shows large spatial coherent structures, a genuine non-equilibrium behavior. The effects of Peclet number, inertia and thermal diffusion on the ordering phenomenon are studied.

Graphical abstract: Spatial velocity correlations in inertial systems of active Brownian particles
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Open Access Paper

Globular protein assembly and network formation at fluid interfaces: effect of oil

The formation of viscoelastic networks at fluid interfaces by globular proteins is essential in many industries, scientific disciplines, and biological processes.

Graphical abstract: Globular protein assembly and network formation at fluid interfaces: effect of oil
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

Decoupling salt- and polymer-dependent dynamics in polyelectrolyte complex coacervates via salt addition

A method for changing the salt and polymer concentrations of coacervates independently is developed and used to investigate their rheology.

Graphical abstract: Decoupling salt- and polymer-dependent dynamics in polyelectrolyte complex coacervates via salt addition
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Most Popular 2021
Paper

Splitting dynamics of ferrofluid droplets inside a microfluidic T-junction using a pulse-width modulated magnetic field in micro-magnetofluidics

A novel, simple, and robust ferrofluid droplet splitting in microfluidics employing a pulse-width modulated magnetic field is proposed.

Graphical abstract: Splitting dynamics of ferrofluid droplets inside a microfluidic T-junction using a pulse-width modulated magnetic field in micro-magnetofluidics
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Editor-in-Chief's Choice
Paper

Intestines of non-uniform stiffness mold the corners of wombat feces

The bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is a fossorial, herbivorous, Australian marsupial, renowned for its cubic feces.

Graphical abstract: Intestines of non-uniform stiffness mold the corners of wombat feces
From the themed collection: Soft Matter Editor-in-Chief's Choice
20 items

About this collection

This online collection features some of the most cited, most downloaded and most shared articles published in Soft Matter during 2021.
Thank you to our authors, reviewers and readers for your ongoing support.

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