Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Self-assembly and Structure in Soft Matter
Chapter 3. Liquid Crystals
Chapter 4. Surfactants
Chapter 5. Polymers
Chapter 6. Colloidial Materials
Chapter 7. Soft Biological Materials
Biography
Linda Hirst is Professor of Physics at the University of California, Merced where she has been a faculty member since 2008 after spending three years on the faculty in the Physics Department at Florida State University. Born in Liverpool in the UK, she obtained her BSc and PhD in Physics from the University of Manchester and spent time as a postdoctoral researcher in the Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Professor Hirst's research interests cover a variety of topics in soft-condensed matter physics, with particular interests in soft biomaterials and liquid crystals. She has a strong interest in promoting study of soft matter and its importance to students, scientists and the public.
"Hirst (Univ. of California, Merced) here provides a detailed and current overview of soft matter science, covering introductory theoretical concepts and a wide range of examples, from liquid crystals and emulsion structures to polymer, colloid, or cell membrane and other protein structures. The volume is a true "teaching" textbook: each chapter begins with a brief description of the learning objectives, provides worked-out examples in the text, and ends with a set of questions as well as suggestions for further reading. The text is well written, well organized, and produced to a high standard of quality. All basic concepts are described in at least some detail. Frequently the author even provides a brief introduction to characterization techniques used in specific areas, ensuring that the reader will gain understanding and a more complete grasp of the overall subject matter. A glossary of terms and various other appendixes complete the book. Each chapter provides its own reference section, while the common index of keywords at the back of the book allows the reader to quickly locate information about a specific topic throughout. Advanced undergraduates will benefit from reading this, as will professionals and practitioners in the field."
-H. Giesche, Alfred University, in CHOICE, November 2020
