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Contents list for Soft Matter, issue 24, 2009
Front cover
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4845
DOI: 10.1039/b924198c
Contents
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4847
DOI: 10.1039/b924200g
Highlight
Theoretically informed coarse grain simulations of block copolymer melts: method and applications
François A. Detcheverry, Darin Q. Pike, Umang Nagpal, Paul F. Nealey and Juan J. de Pablo,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4858
DOI: 10.1039/b911646j
We present a simulation method for a coarse grain model of polymers and describe a variety of applications.
Reviews
Inkjet printing of proteins
Joseph T. Delaney Jr , Patrick J. Smith and Ulrich S. Schubert,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4866
DOI: 10.1039/b909878j
This review focuses on the confluence between high-throughput protein experimentation and drop-on-demand inkjet printing, highlighting how inkjet facilitates novel protein device strategies, as well as some current limitations.
Expanding the role of chemistry to produce new amphiphilic polymer (co)networks
Laetitia Mespouille, James L. Hedrick and Philippe Dubois,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4878
DOI: 10.1039/b910041p
While free radical polymerization remains the predominant technique for producing amphiphilic polymer networks, polymer chemists have successfully applied 
living
/controlled polymerization processes for preparing model amphiphilic polymer networks presenting predictable properties.
Papers
Self-assembled peptide nanorods as building blocks of fractal patterns
Weiping Wang and Ying Chau,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4893
DOI: 10.1039/b919782f
Here we report for the first time the evidence of self-assembled nanorods as diffusion units for forming diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) clusters on a surface.
Lateral coupling and cooperative dynamics in the function of the native membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin
Kislon Voïtchovsky, Sonia Antoranz Contera and John F. Ryan,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4899
DOI: 10.1039/b908635h
High-resolution high-speed AFM movies (up to 20 ms per frame) reveal purple membrane multi-scale dynamics, relating bR monomers isomerization with intra-trimer cooperation and macroscopic membrane lateral pressure waves.
Can morphological transitions in fibrils drive stiffness of gels formed by discotic liquid crystal organogelators?
Arkadiusz Kotlewski, Ben Norder, Wolter F. Jager, Stephen J. Picken and Eduardo Mendes,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4905
DOI: 10.1039/b909622a
A discotic liquid crystal organogelator forms two kinds of gels with very different stiffnesses but similar fibril dimensions. Stiffness transition seems driven by the liquid crystal to crystal phase transition within fibrils.
Formation of nanostructured materials using inexpensive hollow particles of amphiphilic graft copolymers as building blocks: 1. insight into the mechanism of nanotube formation
Cheng Hao Lee, Kin Man Ho, Frank W. Harris, Stephen Z. D. Cheng and Pei Li,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4914
DOI: 10.1039/b915626g
This work describes a novel and versatile route to amphiphilic nanotubes in water using inexpensive amphiphilic hollow particles as a building block. Mechanism of the nanostructure formation has been elucidated.
Order, disorder and stretching of a smectic elastomer with 
side-on
mesogenic side groups
Wim H. de Jeu, Ansgar Komp, Evgeny P. Obraztsov, Boris I. Ostrovskii and Heino Finkelmann,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4922
DOI: 10.1039/b915599f
A side-on smectic elastomer shows a remarkable parallelism between X-ray results and stress–strain curve indicating that the stress is relieved by melting of the layers into a nematic-like state.
Sub-micron poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) particles as temperature responsive vehicles for the detachment and delivery of human cells
Sally Hopkins, Steven R. Carter, John W. Haycock, Nigel J. Fullwood, Sheila MacNeil and Stephen Rimmer,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4928
DOI: 10.1039/b909656f
We describe topologically open microgel particles composed of highly branched poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) with peptide functionality that binds to cell surface receptors. They are used to transfer cells in thermally responsive manner.
Nano-patterned structures in cylindrical polyelectrolyte brushes assembled with oppositely charged polyions
Sergey V. Larin, Dmitry V. Pergushov, Youyong Xu, Anatoly A. Darinskii, Alexander B. Zezin, Axel H. E. Müller and Oleg V. Borisov,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4938
DOI: 10.1039/b913944c
We demonstrate experimentally and prove by molecular dynamics simulations that the electrostatically driven association of cylindrical polyelectrolyte brushes (CPBs) with oppositely charged linear polyelectrolytes (PEs) gives rise to nano-assemblies which spontaneously adopt the shape of a necklace of complex coacervate pearls decorated by star-like PE coronas.
Mechanical properties of block copolymer vesicle membranes by atomic force microscopy
Qi Chen, Holger Schönherr and G. Julius Vancso,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4944
DOI: 10.1039/b903110c
The rigidity of PS-b-PAA block copolymer vesicles with systematically varied wall thicknesses were estimated using AFM force measurements. The relation between rigidity the thickness of the membranes was elucidated.
Structure and interaction in 2D assemblies of tobacco mosaic viruses
Lin Yang, Suntao Wang, Masafumi Fukuto, Antonio Checco, Zhongwei Niu and Qian Wang,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4951
DOI: 10.1039/b911894b
TMVs self-assemble into ordered 2D structures on fluid, substrate-supported lipid monolayer. The structure order, as controlled by the chemical environment surrounding the TMVs, is analyzed by AFM and X-ray scattering.
SANS study of the self-organization of gradient copolymers with ligand groups in supercritical CO2
Tiphaine Ribaut, Julian Oberdisse, Burkhard Annighofer, Ivan Stoychev, Bruno Fournel, Stéphane Sarrade and Patrick Lacroix-Desmazes,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4962
DOI: 10.1039/b912268k
Aggregation of amphiphilic gradient copolymers with complexing groups was studied by small-angle neutron scattering in supercritical CO2 as a function of several parameters such as pressure.
A simple oleanlic acid derivative as potent organogelator
Jun Hu, Meng Zhang and Yong Ju,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4971
DOI: 10.1039/b916427h
The organogel formation of 2,3-dihydroxyimino-oleanic acid in different organic solvents is reported for the first time. The structure and physical properties of the organogel were studied by scanning electron microscopy, circular dichromism spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry.
Surfactant foams doped with laponite: unusual behaviors induced by aging and confinement
R. M. Guillermic, A. Salonen, J. Emile and A. Saint-Jalmes,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4975
DOI: 10.1039/b914923f
Non-classical aging and rheological regimes have been obtained with surfactant foams doped with laponite. This results from the competition between the aging of the foam and of the laponite solution.
In-plane distribution in mixtures of cationic and anionic surfactants
David Carrière, Luc Belloni, Bruno Demé, Monique Dubois, Claire Vautrin, Annette Meister and Thomas Zemb,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4983
DOI: 10.1039/b912286a
A two-dimensional liquid order in bilayers of oppositely charged surfactants has been evidenced using neutron scattering. Comparison with Monte-Carlo simulations demonstrates that electrostatic interactions account only partially for this order.
Effect of temperature on aging and time–temperature superposition in nonergodic laponite suspensions
Varun Awasthi and Yogesh M. Joshi,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4991
DOI: 10.1039/b915105b
In soft glassy materials the mechanism responsible for aging becomes faster with an increase in temperature. The corresponding micro-structural evolution shows self similar behavior leading to time–temperature superposition.
Probing biolubrication with a nanoscale flow
S. Leroy, A. Steinberger, C. Cottin-Bizonne, A.-M. Trunfio-Sfarghiu and E. Charlaix,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4997
DOI: 10.1039/b914543e
We present an original method to investigate with a nanoscale flow the fluidity of supported phospholipid bilayers, an essential property for their biological functions.
An isotopic effect in self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers: the role of hydrogen bonds
Rina Shvartzman-Cohen, Chun-lai Ren, Igal Szleifer and Rachel Yerushalmi-Rozen,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 5003
DOI: 10.1039/b913005e
A macroscopic isotopic effect in micellization of amphiphilic block-copolymers was measured in D2O–H2O mixtures and calculated by molecular theory, suggesting it originates from the difference in hydrogen-bond strength of the solvents.
Dynamic viscoelastic behavior of individual Gram-negative bacterial cells
Virginia Vadillo-Rodriguez and John R. Dutcher,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 5012
DOI: 10.1039/b912227c
We study the viscoelastic response of individual bacterial cells using an AFM-based creep relaxation experiment. The frequency dependence of the real and imaginary viscoelastic response is compared to the response measured as a function of the loading rate of the AFM tip.
Shear-induced structure and mechanics of 
-lactoglobulin amyloid fibrils
Dave E. Dunstan, Paul Hamilton-Brown, Peter Asimakis, William Ducker and Joseph Bertolini,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 5020
DOI: 10.1039/b914089a
Amyloid fibril formation kinetics, mechanism and the resulting fibril morphology are determined by the flow environment during formation. Fibril toxicity is therefore postulated to be determined by physiological flow.
A novel process for drug encapsulation using a liquid to vapour phase change material
Ming-Wei Chang, Eleanor Stride and Mohan Edirisinghe,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 5029
DOI: 10.1039/b913178g
Encapsulation of perfluorohexane (PFH) in a polymer capsule without the need for processing additives. Exchange of the core content for a model drug is triggered by initiating the liquid–vapour phase change of the PFH.
Nanofiber-supported phospholipid bilayers
Feng Yi, Jian Xu, A. Michelle Smith, Atul N. Parikh and David A. LaVan,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 5037
DOI: 10.1039/b903048d
Lipid bilayers were formed on biomimetic synthetic nanofiber networks created to mimic the chemical and mechanical environment provided by the actin network. Lipid diffusivity measurements and electrophysiological recordings show the nanofiber-supported bilayers behave similarly to bilayers in natural cell membranes.
Back matter
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 5042
DOI: 10.1039/b924201p
Back cover
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 5047
DOI: 10.1039/b924199j
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