Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz > Faculty 08 > Physics > Physics Research > Research Areas > Soft Matter & Biological Physics
This highly interdisciplinary field employs computational models and simulations to investigate phenomena such as polymer self-assembly and topology, membrane dynamics, and the folding of proteins and DNA. These systems share common traits: Their characteristic energies are on the order of thermal energy (kT) and entropy is an indispensable factor. The goal is to uncover fundamental principles governing soft and living matter, with applications spanning from materials science to biomedical research, by combining physics, chemistry, and biology.
Water is essential for life, yet many of its molecular behaviors remain mysterious. Its microscopic structure changes when supercooled below 0°C, in contact with dissolved substances, or near surfaces, as e.g. around proteins. One hypothesis to explain water´s anomalous behavior is the existence of two liquid states: high-density and low-density, connected by a liquid-liquid transition, also seen in other liquids. Beyond that,the solid state, ice, can even form glassy, amorphous states, predicted to exist in outer space. Understanding such phase transitions in water, polymers, and glasses is a global research focus. We explore this using molecular dynamics simulations, state of the art scattering techniques, spectroscopy, and calorimetry.
The enormous success of computer simulations can be attributed not only to Moore’s law, but also to the development of increasingly refined models and smart simulation algorithms. One key to success is multiscale modeling, i.e., the art of systematically constructing hierarchies of models operating on different scales. Our work is concentrated on developing such approaches for soft matter, which is particularly challenging because of the dominant role of entropy. This research also gives fundamental insights into the microscopic origins of emerging phenomena such as dissipation and memory.
Living and breathing organisms, fluid flows, or driven quantum systems – no matter which system and scale we look at, the world around us is dynamically evolving. The general principles governing the behavior of such nonequilibrium systems are, to a large extent, unknown. Our aim is to uncover how such principles emerge from the microscopic laws governing the individual constituents of the system. This research touches upon a large variety of aspects – from fundamental philosophical issues concerning the flow of time to practical applications in biology and nanotechnology. Methodologically, we employ both pen-and-paper theory and large-scale computer simulations including machine learning.
