Ionic Soft Matter: Modern Trends in Theory and Applications

Ionic soft matter is a class of conventional condensed matter in which the prevailing contribution is from electrostatics. Since electrostatic forces are found practically everywhere in nature, the development of appropriate and powerful theoretical tools to treat electrostatic forces, as well as a correct interpretation and understanding of observed phenomena, are extremely important issues at the frontiers of modern chemical and molecular engineering, biological and materials sciences, energy and environmental technological strategies. The presence of charge carriers (electrons, protons, ions, counter-ions, ionic surfactant micelles, charged latex, polystyrene and other colloidal particles) was found to be crucial in determining the physical properties of a variety of systems that include not only industrial colloidal suspensions but also living protein channels and biological DNA solutions.§This book is for researchers interested in the statistical mechanical modeling of charged substance as well as for those working in chemical physics, physical chemistry, biophysics and environmental science. The book consists of state of the art reviews of the recent experimental, theoretical and simulation studies on ionic criticality, polyelectrolytes, proton transport in fuel cell membranes, and the design of DNA arrays. A significant portion of the book deals with discussions of the fundamental and applied problems of important phenomena such as ion association, ion adsorption, ion solvation, electrical double layer, thin colloidal film stability, ion collective dynamics, ion screening, etc. using a level of argumentation that is common and understandable for mathematicians, physicists, chemists, biologists and engineers. The book concludes with chapter on physical properties of fuel-containing materials from the inside of the troubled Chornobyl sarcophagus.