Squishy Engineering: Using Soft Materials to Solve Hard Problems

The milk we drink in the morning (a colloidal dispersion), the gel we put into our hair (a polymer solution), and the plaque that we try to scrub off our teeth (a biofilm) are all familiar examples of soft or "squishy" materials. Such materials also hold great promise in helping to solve engineering challenges like drug delivery, water remediation, oil recovery, and the development of new coatings, displays, formulations, foods, and biomaterials. This class will cover fundamental aspects of the science of soft materials, presented within the context of these challenges. We will have guest speakers describe new applications of soft materials.