Welcome to the Soft Matter Physics Research Group

The University of Leeds is recognised as an outstanding centre of excellence in the globally active research field of polymers and complex fluids. The Polymer Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) is at the cutting-edge of research in a field that has gathered huge momentum in the last fifteen years.

An understanding of the molecular behaviour of polymers and complex fluids enables us to improve existing products and create materials with custom designed properties. This is one part of the new field of 'soft nanotechnology' where materials are modified on the nano scale (billionth of a meter) in order to produce tangible real world benefits. Future strategies in this field include increasing links with biology - the world of the most fascinating polymeric and complex fluids of all!

Did you know?

French fries are loaded with a polymer called starch, which your body digests into sugar to use as fuel.

Next Seminar

Spheres, doughnuts, pretzels and frustrated nematic order
11/06/2012 - Professor Alberto Fernandez - Nieves, School of Physics, Georgia Tech., USA
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Latest News

Building Functional New Materials and Structures with Lipid Bilayer Membranes

Friday 11th May 2012, 5pm
A £5M EPSRC Programme has been awarded to Leeds, Imperial (coordinator), Durham, Nottingham, and Sheffield, to study the physics and chemistry of lipid bilayer membranes, and develop new paradigms for functional materials such as artificial organelles and new methods for high throughput screening and protein crystallization. Professor Peter Olmsted (SMP Group) and Dr Simon Connell (MNP Group) will lead theory and experimental streams of this project.
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