Universität Wien

260122 VU Soft Matter at Interfaces (2020S)

5.00 ECTS (3.00 SWS), SPL 26 - Physik
Continuous assessment of course work
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.

  • Friday 06.03. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 13.03. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 20.03. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 27.03. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 03.04. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 24.04. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 08.05. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 15.05. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 22.05. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 29.05. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 05.06. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 12.06. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 19.06. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. Stk., 1090 Wien
  • Friday 26.06. 09:30 - 12:00 Seminarraum, Zi. 3354A, Boltzmanngasse 5, 3. 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

Successful and regular active participation in exercises.
Oral exam at the end of the semester.
Due to Covid-19, the oral exam will held as online exam.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

After each lecture, there will be an exercise sheet to recapitulate the knowledge and reach in-depth understanding. Over the semester, students should have prepared solutions for at least 50% of the exercises and present their work at least 4 times orally at the blackboard.

Aim of the lectures is to obtain an overview over the current research on the molecular scale structure and dynamics of soft matter near interfaces. The exam will test the knowledge and understanding of the physical models and mechanisms as well as the relevant experimental techniques. Students will be asked to apply their knowledge to related problems and explain fundamental concepts and equations.
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)

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Final grad calculation:

25% written exercises
25% oral contribution incl. presentation
50% oral exam

Examination topics

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all content covered in the lecture will be relevant for the exam. 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)

David Attwood Soft X-Rays and Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation: Principles and Applications
Cambridge Univ. Press (2007)

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

Association in the course directory

M-VAF A2, M-VAF B, MaInt

Last modified: Tu 29.09.2020 15:49