Introduction to Soft Matter

Introductory course on soft matter/complex fluids. A review of preliminaries of continuum mechanics, which are required for dealing with soft matter. General concepts of viscous and elastic deformations and relevant models. Experimental approaches to soft materials such as creep response and stress relaxation.INTENDED AUDIENCE : Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Aerospace Engg, Physics, Interdisciplinary sciencesPREREQUISITES : Basic fluid/solid mechanics courses will be helpful although not requiredINDUSTRY SUPPORT : Nil

Week 1 : Historical context and Deborah number Week 2 : Classical elastic and viscous materials Week 3 : Viscoelastic materials Week 4 : Viscoelastic materials (contd.) Week 5 : Macromolecules and viscoelasticity Week 6 : Shear thickening/thinning fluids Week 7 : Typical experimental results Week 8 : Typical experimental results (contd).