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Contents list for Soft Matter, issue 23, 2009
Front cover
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4585
DOI: 10.1039/b923035c
Inside front cover
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4586
DOI: 10.1039/b923036j
Contents
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4587
DOI: 10.1039/b923037h
Highlight
Entropy-driven ring-opening olefin metathesis polymerizations of macrocycles
Zheng Xue and Michael F. Mayer,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4600
DOI: 10.1039/b913696g
The entropy-driven ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ED-ROMP) of macrocyclic olefins can provide novel main-chain functionalized polymers. The nuts and bolts of these reactions are discussed and several examples are highlighted.
Reviews
Confined polymer systems: synergies between simulations and neutron scattering experiments
Ian G. Elliott, Dennis E. Mulder, Petra T. Träskelin, John R. Ell, Timothy E. Patten, Tonya L. Kuhl and Roland Faller,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4612
DOI: 10.1039/b910693f
An integrated approach using neutron scattering and multiscale molecular modeling is highly beneficial for understanding the structure of polymer thin films.
Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization—a technique to develop biofunctional coatings
Charlotte Juel Fristrup, Katja Jankova and Søren Hvilsted,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4623
DOI: 10.1039/b821815c
The preparation of well-defined biofunctionalities including rejection or adsorption of proteins, cells or bacteria, immobilization of biomolecules, separation of proteins, antibacterial activity, and encapsulation of drugs is reviewed.
Communications
A block-copolymer hydrogel encapsulates bacteriorhodopsin and produces the longest photochromic response of the membrane protein under high water content conditions
Dewang Ma, Yingchun Zhao, Jia Wu, Ting Cui and Jiandong Ding,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4635
DOI: 10.1039/b917438a
Diacrylated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) was employed to encapsulate bacteriorhodopsin in a hydrogel matrix. The 30 min relaxation is the longest so far under high water content conditions.
Viscoelastic properties of confined polymer films measured via thermal wrinkling
Edwin P. Chan, Kirt A. Page, Se Hyuk Im, Derek L. Patton, Rui Huang and Christopher M. Stafford,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4638
DOI: 10.1039/b916207k
A measurement platform based on the time-evolution of surface wrinkling induced by thermal stress is harnessed to measure the viscoelastic properties of confined thin polymer films
Waist cross-linked micelles synthesized via self-assembly guiding radical polymerization
Conghui Yuan, Yiting Xu, Yuanming Deng, Jiangfeng Chen, Yanling Liu and Lizong Dai,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4642
DOI: 10.1039/b916290a
Amphiphilic micelles with mobile core and shell were synthesized by waist cross-linking polymerization. This waist cross-linked micelles exhibit both core–shell reversing behavior and thermal sensitivity.
Papers
Effect of monomer structure on the gelation of a class of metallo-supramolecular polymers
Wengui Weng, Zheng Li, Alex. M. Jamieson and Stuart J. Rowan,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4647
DOI: 10.1039/b911166b
The effect of the oligoethylene oxide core length on the properties of metallo-supramolecular gels accessed by the addition of Zn(II) ions to ligand endcapped oligoethylene oxide monomer units is reported.
Shaping liquid on a micrometre scale using microwrinkles as deformable open channel capillaries
Takuya Ohzono, Hirosato Monobe, Kumi Shiokawa, Masahiro Fujiwara and Yo Shimizu,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4658
DOI: 10.1039/b912235d
Tuning the groove depth of microwrinkles by modulating strain, we explored the capillary action of various liquids in microgrooves, which form liquid micro-filaments.
Thickness dependent hierarchical meso/nano scale morphologies of a metal-containing block copolymer thin film induced by hybrid annealing and their pattern transfer abilities
Muruganathan Ramanathan and Seth B. Darling,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4665
DOI: 10.1039/b902114k
Dewetting phenomena in hybrid annealed organic/inorganic block copolymer thin films produce unusual mesoscale dendritic structures and ring-like nanostructures that can be transferred onto underlying substrates.
Topological transition dynamics in a strained bubble cluster
Anne-Laure Biance, Sylvie Cohen-Addad and Reinhard Höhler,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4672
DOI: 10.1039/b910150k
The topological transition dynamic in a cluster of four bubbles is shown to be governed by a balance between surface tension and surface viscosity.
Influence of 
– stacking on the self-assembly and coiling of multi-chromophoric polymers based on perylenebis(dicarboximides): an AFM study
Vincenzo Palermo, Erik Schwartz, Andrea Liscio, Matthijs B. J. Otten, Klaus Müllen, Roeland J. M. Nolte, Alan E. Rowan and Paolo Samorì,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4680
DOI: 10.1039/b912302d
An ultra-stiff polyisocyanopeptide polymer is functionalized with optically active chromophores, which can self-organize through – stacking, making them interesting and versatile building blocks for nanoelectronics.
Enhanced electrorheology of suspensions containing sea-urchin-like hierarchical Cr-doped titania particles
Jianbo Yin, Xiaopeng Zhao, Liqin Xiang, Xiang Xia and Zhanshu Zhang,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4687
DOI: 10.1039/b910274d
The ER suspension composed of Cr-doped titania particles with unique sea-urchin-like hierarchical architectures exhibited an enhanced ER effect compared to the corresponding suspension containing smooth non-hierarchical Cr-doped titania particles.
Self-assembly of an ultra-high-molecular-weight comb block copolymer at the air–water interface
Lei Zhao, Matthew D. Goodman, Ned B. Bowden and Zhiqun Lin,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4698
DOI: 10.1039/b912447k
The intriguing self-assembly at the air–water interface of a newly synthesized, amphiphilic comb block copolymer, with ultra-high molecular weight, was systematically explored.
Molecular level and microstructural characterisation of thermally sensitive chitosan hydrogels
K. E. Crompton, J. S. Forsythe, M. K. Horne, D. I. Finkelstein and R. B. Knott,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4704
DOI: 10.1039/b907593c
The structure of thermally gelling chitosan–glycerophosphate hydrogel was examined. The hydrogel exhibited a heterogeneous aggregation of swollen particles of 
1 to 2 µm diameter. Using small angle neutron scattering, these particles were found to be heterogeneous, consisting of polymer-rich hydrophobic domains with a characteristic length of 350 
and polymer-poor hydrophilic regions with a correlation length of 120 .
Diffusion in evaporating solutions
A. Kabalnov and H. Wennerström,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4712
DOI: 10.1039/b912648a
We present an analysis of the colloidal dynamics of particles in a mixture of two solvents subjected to evaporation. Particle migration is affected by the gradient in the solvation energy along the diffusion path.
Target-selective vesicle fusion system with pH-selectivity and responsiveness
Ayumi Kashiwada, Mana Tsuboi, Toshihisa Mizuno, Takeshi Nagasaki and Kiyomi Matsuda,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4719
DOI: 10.1039/b909503a
We constructed a novel target-selective artificial vesicle fusion system with pH-selectivity. This system was stable at neutral pH, but showed fusion activity around the endosomal pH.
Robust 
one-component
chitosan-based ultrathin films fabricated using layer-by-layer technique
Maria Bulwan, Szczepan Zapotoczny and Maria Nowakowska,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4726
DOI: 10.1039/b909355a
One-component multilayer films based on two ionic derivatives of chitosan have been formed using a LbL technique for the first time. Robust, smooth, highly hydrophilic and very stable films were obtained.
Continuous and discontinuous volume-phase transitions in surface-tethered, photo-crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) networks
Ajay Vidyasagar, Hillary L. Smith, Jaroslaw Majewski and Ryan G. Toomey,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4733
DOI: 10.1039/b904963k
The volume transition of surface-tethered poly(NIPAAm) networks coincides with the miscibility gap of non-crosslinked linear poly(NIPAAm), signifying that confinement does not alter the coil–globule transition of poly(NIPAAm) chains.
Adsorption of plasmid DNA onto lipid/polymer particle assemblies
Anne-Lise Troutier-Thuilliez, Julie Thevenot, Thierry Delair and Catherine Ladavière,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4739
DOI: 10.1039/b911260j
Plasmid DNA adsorption onto lipid-coated particles, varying both polymer core nature and lipid shell formulation, was probed by multiple experimental methods.
Failure-mode transition in transient polymer networks with particle-based simulations
J. Sprakel, E. Spruijt, J. van der Gucht, J. T. Padding and W. J. Briels,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4748
DOI: 10.1039/b910425a
Particle-based simulations reveal a failure-mode transition in transient polymer networks under shear; from a shear banded to a fractured state. Our observations resolve apparent inconsistencies in the experimental literature on the non-linear rheology of polymer networks with reversible nodes.
Manipulating ordering transitions in interfacially modified block copolymers
Nripen Singh, Maëva S. Tureau and Thomas H. Epps III,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4757
DOI: 10.1039/b908739g
We describe a synthetic strategy that permits the precise manipulation of the interfacial region between blocks in poly(isoprene-b-styrene) block copolymers, thus providing unique control over ordering transitions in these materials.
Gelled polymerizable microemulsions. Part 3 Rheology
Miguel Magno, Renate Tessendorf, Bruno Medronho, Maria G. Miguel and Cosima Stubenrauch,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4763
DOI: 10.1039/b914281a
Tuning the rheological properties of gelled bicontinuous microemulsions via the oil and the gelator content.
Quantitative model for the kinetics of lyotropic phase transitions involving changes in monolayer curvature
Adam M. Squires, Charlotte E. Conn, John M. Seddon and Richard H. Templer,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4773
DOI: 10.1039/b911762h
We present a kinetic model for transformations between different self-assembled lipid structures, which can be used to provide information on the mechanism of the transformation and the shape of the transition state, for example, to gain an insight into intermediate structures in cell membrane fission or fusion.
New insights into the relationship between internal phase level of emulsion templates and gas–liquid permeability of interconnected macroporous polymers
Shu San Manley, Nadine Graeber, Zdenek Grof, Angelika Menner, Geoffrey F. Hewitt, Frantisek Stepanek and Alexander Bismarck,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4780
DOI: 10.1039/b900426b
High, medium and even low internal phase emulsions were used as templates for manufacturing interconnected macroporous polymers which are gas and liquid permeable.
Facile synthesis and self-assembly of multihetero-arm hyperbranched polymer brushes
Chao Gao and Xing Zheng,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4788
DOI: 10.1039/b909994h
A one-pot multigrafting strategy was presented for facile synthesis of miktoarm hyperbranched molecular brushes that showed unique assembly behaviors, by combination of click grafting onto and ATRP grafting from approaches.
The self-aggregation behaviour of amphotericin B-loaded polyrotaxane-based triblock copolymers and their hemolytic evaluation
Xiaowen Zhang, Fuyou Ke, Jian Han, Lin Ye, Dehai Liang, Ai-ying Zhang and Zeng-guo Feng,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4797
DOI: 10.1039/b914664d
The morphology of aggregates of amphiphilic PR-based triblock copolymers changes greatly after loading with amphotericin B in an aqueous medium.
Dynamics of oil transfer in oil-in-water emulsions
Nelly Malassagne-Bulgarelli and Kathryn M. McGrath,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4804
DOI: 10.1039/b912742a
Exchange of insoluble dye, motional averaging of oil diffusion and partial fusion of oil droplets in O/W emulsions, without droplet size variation, indicates reversible coalescence or permeation via transient holes.
Electric field-induced transitions in perforated lamella of ABA triblock copolymer thin film
Dung Q. Ly, Takashi Honda, Toshihiro Kawakatsu and Andrei V. Zvelindovsky,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4814
DOI: 10.1039/b911521h
A perforated lamella (PL) of a ABA triblock copolymer melt confined in a thin film under an electric field in different directions is investigated. With a sufficiently high value of the electric field, several transition pathways PL-to-cylinders or PL-to-perpendicular lamellae are found.
Soft ordered mesoporous materials from nonionic isoprenoid-type monoethanolamide amphiphiles self-assembled in water
Sharon M. Sagnella, Charlotte E. Conn, Irena Krodkiewska and Calum J. Drummond,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4823
DOI: 10.1039/b907596h
The self-assembly behaviour of a series of amide and monoethanolamide amphiphiles with isoprenoid-type hydrocarbon chains has been investigated and some of these colloidal particles have been shown to be ideal candidates for the delivery of bioactive molecules.
Lung surfactant microbubbles
Shashank Sirsi, Calvin Pae, David Kyung Taek Oh, Henning Blomback, Adel Koubaa, Brigitte Papahadjopoulos-Sternberg and Mark Borden,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4835
DOI: 10.1039/b915065j
Colloidal properties are investigated for novel lung surfactant-coated microbubbles, which show promise for evaluation of surfactant function and application in ultrasound imaging.
Back cover
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4843
DOI: 10.1039/b923038f
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