Book Description
The study of capillarity is in the midst of a veritable explosion. Hence the temptation to write a new book, aiming at an audience of students. What is offered here is not a comprehensive review of the latest research but rather a compendium of principles. How does one turn a hydrophilic surface into one that is hydrophobic, and vice versa? We will describe a few solutions. Some rely on chemical treatments, such as coating a surface with a molecular layer. Others are based on physics, for instance by controlling the roughness of a surface. We will also examine the dynamics of wetting. Drops that spread spontaneously do so at a rate that slows down with time. They can be tricked into covering large areas by spreading them suddenly. We will describe a few of the many facets of their dynamical properties. Special additives are required for water to foam. Foams are desirable in a shampoo but can be a nightmare in a dishwasher detergent. Antifoam agents have been developed and are well known, but how do they work? It is also possible to generate bubbles and foams without special additives, for example in pure and viscous liquids such as glycerin, molten glass, and polymers. As we will see, the laws of draining and bursting then turn out to be quite different from the conventional ones. This book will enable the reader to understand in simple terms such questions that affect every day life -- questions that also come up during in industry. The aim is to view systems that often prove quite complex in a way that isolates a particular physical phenomenon, often avoiding descriptions requiring advanced numerical techniques will oftentimes in favor of qualitative arguments. This strategy may at times jeopardize scientific rigor, but it makes it possible to grasp things efficiently and to invent novel situations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very useful and easy to read!
This is a great book for anyone interested in capillarity and wetting phenomena. What I like about it is that it gives the reader a grasp of how things work and it goes through a lot of practical examples. The equations are voluntarily simplified (constants often omitted) to only leave the important variables and reveal the "mechanics of how things work". However, although the equations look simple, they do capture the essence of the problem and they are always perfectly sound. This is an approach that de Gennes uses a lot and which I believe makes things easier to understand. Moreover, the 3 authors of the book are, like the previous reviewer said, very well known and respected scientist in their field, which adds to the scientific soundness of their approach. In summary, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the physics of wetting.

Intuitive, elegant, insightful, beautiful!
Capillarity and Wetting Phenomena, like every text and paper bearing the name of de Gennes is intuitive, insightful, elegant, beautiful and extremely useful text. The names de Gennes, Brochard and David Quere are well known to the researchers in this area, and this book basically brings together their deep insight about a host of different phenomena in very simple words and equations. The described physics of wetting, surface tension, droplet spreading, instabilities, bubbles, etc. is developed in a style where qualitative arguments, dimensional arguments and experimental observations are used to describe a variety of complex phenomena. The apparent lack of mathematical rigor is a blessing to everyone interested in developing a taste and temperament for this extremely important field. While one can find several related texts in the field, none other is written in this delightfully insightful way. This is one of the rare gems that everyone from a high school student to most advanced researcher in the field can read, enjoy, learn from and be delighted to possess. ... Read more

Book Description
Drawn from the author's introductory course at the University of Orsay, Superconductivity of Metals and Alloys is intended to explain the basic knowledge of superconductivity for both experimentalists and theoreticians. These notes begin with an elementary discussion of magnetic properties of Type I and Type II superconductors. The microscopic theory is then built up in the Bogolubov language of self-consistent fields. This text provides the classic, fundamental basis for any work in the field of superconductivity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Everlasting standard for textbook in physics
It is not possibly the best superconductivity book I have ever read, it is certainly an everlasting standard for a texbook in physics. The generations of superconductivity researchers, including myself, have grown up as scientists upon reading this book. Even now, in the era of high temperature superconductivity, someone new in the field should read this book first.

review of De Gennes, Superconductivity of metals and alloys
Possibly the best superconductivity book I have ever read. He covers GL equations excellently - he builds them up from Landau theory of phase transitions, by constructing them using the Helmholtz free energy. As far as the microscopic theory goes, BCS is brought from the very beginnings, in a methodical, logical mannar. The book is, however, a little mathematical for most people's tastes. A fair knowledge of quantum mechanics is needed before this book should be read (for example: Dirac notation, matix algebra to mention a few).

I have never read your books before. but I heard.
I am interested in superconductivity and diffusion of superconductivity. I am studying superconductuvitiy and elektrodiffusion. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Pierre-Gilles De Gennes, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 1318 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Book Description
Selection of papers by Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, a 1991 Nobel Prize winner in Physics. Papersare those which have had a long-lasting impact on our understanding ofcondensed matter. The author has added some afterthoughts to the mainpapers, and some current views on each special problem. Softcover,hardcover available. ... Read more

Book Description
In this book, the author captures the lives of personalities from both the academic and the industrial world in delightful bite-size stories.Provides a critical account of aberrations of the scientific community. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Outstanding
This is collection of very short vignettes, sketching with a somewhat acid pen the life and work of a few scientists, most of them physicists. It does not say whether these characters are real or make-believe, but a few of the portraits come quite close to well known people (so even though I live far, far away from the center of the universe, I think I can identify Benoit Mandelbrot, Brian Josephson and Bernd Matthias. And I am sure other readers can put names on many more chapters of these ``Enigma Variations'' of science.)

The text is wonderfully written, and the descriptions are surgically precise. There are a few heroes, a few scoundrels, and many great but flawed humans. The tale of their struggles and ploys is always told warmly and with respect. They reflect so well the fauna of laboratories and research centers that you can see in every page glimpses of men and women you have known, maybe even of yourself.

All in all, the text is so good and the characters so accurate, this book should be compulsory reading for all first-year graduate students in any branch of science. ... Read more

Book Description
The first edition of this book has been an acknowledged classic since its publication in 1974. Its success and the great advances that have taken place in the ensuing years have made this new edition both welcome and necessary.New chapters describe the main types and properties of liquid crystals in terms of the new phases discovered since the middle of the 1970s, and advances in the understanding of local order and the nature of isotropic to nematic transition. There is an extensive discussion of the symmetry, and macroscopic and dynamic properties of smectics and columnar phases, and their defects, illustrated with numerous descriptions of experimental arrangements. The final chapter is devoted to phase transitions in smectics, including the celebrated analogy between Smectic A and superconductors. Throughout the book there is an emphasis on order-of-magnitude considerations.Its topicality and breadth of coverage will ensure that The Physics of Liquid Crystals remains an indispensable guide for students and researchers alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Bible for liquid crystals!
Like every book by de Gennes, this book is a classic! This latest edition in a "must have" text for everyone even remotely associated with liquid crystals. The text is written in a self contained fashion, but the mathematics and physics is of advanced level, and to fully appreciate the content one must have some grip on statistical mechanics, tensor and vector algebra, electromagnetism and continuum physics. Thus it is ideal for physicists, a rewarding challenge for chemists and starting researchers.

To get a simple understanding of liquid crystals (without chemical and mathematical equations), a text by Peter J. Collins (Liquid Crystals: Nature's delicate phase of matter) is highly recommended. For people interested in synthesis of liquid crystals, this text has almost nothing to offer and maybe another text by Collins is more useful. Another important text on the physics of liquid crystals is by Chandershekar. But bottomline is while you may want to look at other texts for specific needs (synthesis or display devices), The Physics of Liquid Crystals by de Gennes is the book one must have and one must read to make a living in this area. (of course, I will read the whole text too....) ... Read more

Product Description
The future applications of nanotechnology in high-tech industries require deep understanding of the theoretical and computational aspects of all kinds of materials and devices at a nanometer scale. Handbook of Theoretical and Computational Nanotechnology is the first single reference source ever published in field that offers such an unified approach covering all of the major topics dealing with theory, modeling, design and simulations of nanostructured materials and nanodevices, quantum computing, computational chemistry, physics and biology, nanomechanics, nanomachines, nanoelectronics, nanoprocesses, nanomagnetism, nano-optics, nanomedicines, nanobiotechnology, etc. This 10-volume (ca. 8,000 pages) handbook provides the first ideal introduction and an up-to-date survey of the fascinating new developments and interdisciplinary activities in the whole field presented by scientists working in different subject areas of science, engineering and medicine. This handbook is the most profound publication on this topic- the first treatment of the computational nanotechnology. This outstanding handbook presented by 265 world's leading scientists, is the most significant academic title ever published in this research field. This handbook has been divided into 10 thematic volumes by documenting computational treatment of nanomaterials and nanodevices. 10-VOLUME SET ( ca. 8,000 pages) Volume 1: Basic Concepts, Nanomachines and Bionanodevices Volume 2: Atomistic Simulations - Algorithms and Methods Volume 3: Quantum and Molecular Computing, and Quantum Simulations Volume 4: Nanomechanics and Multiscale Modeling Volume 5: Transport Phenomena and Nanoscale Processes Volume 6: Bioinformatics, Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery Volume 7: Magnetic Nanostructures and Nano-optics Volume 8: Functional Nanomaterials, Nanoparticles and Polymer Nanostructures Volume 9: Nanocomposites, Nano-Assemblies, and Nanosurfaces Volume 10: Nanodevice Modeling and Nanoelectronics ... Read more

Book Description
Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac, one of the greatest physicists of the twentieth century, died in 1984. Dirac's college, St. John's of Cambridge, generously endowed annual lectures to be held at Cambridge University in his memory. This volume contains a much expanded version of the 1994 Dirac Lecture by Nobel Laureate Pierre Gilles de Gennes.The book presents an impressionistic tour of the physics of soft interfaces. Full of insight and interesting asides, it not only provides an accessible introduction to this topic, but also lays down many markers and signposts that will be of interest to researchers in physics or chemistry. Features discussions of wetting and dewetting, the dynamics of different types of interface and adhesion and polymer/polymer welding. ... Read more

Book Description
This volume contains a selection of important papers by P-G de Gennes (1991 Nobel Prize Winner in Physics) which have had a long lasting impact on our understanding of condensed matter (solid state physics, liquid crystals, polymers, interfaces, wetting and adhesion). A typical example is the original article on "reptation" of polymer chains. The author has added some "after thoughts" following the main papers explaining their successes or weaknesses, and the current views on each special problem. ... Read more

Book Description
This book, based on lectures given at the Polytechnic of Milan, gives a broad overview of the field of polymer dynamics. In these lectures the aim is to stress the fundamental concepts of the behaviour of polymers without drawing on the more advanced mathematical formalism which often obscures the natural elegance of the subject matter. Professor De Gennes is one of the most distinguished workers in the field of material science. Therefore this book will be welcomed by both the experienced researcher in the area and the interested layman. It will be of particular value to graduate students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must read book for any one working in the field of polymer
A must read book for any one who wants to do serious work in fields of Polymer dynamics. It contains idea about lots of problems in this field to be worked out. The book gives a insight of the subject rather than giving too much emphasis on mathematical details. ... Read more

Book Description
Over the past few decades we have learned a great deal about the behavior of such materials as liquid crystals, emulsions and colloids, polymers, and complex molecules. These materials, called "soft matter" ("matière fragile" in French), have neither the rigid structure and crystalline symmetry of a solid nor the uniformity and disorder of a fluid or a gas. They have unusual and fascinating properties: some change their viscosity at our beck and call; others form layers of two-dimensional liquids; some are polarized, their molecules all oriented in the same direction and turning in unison at our command; others make up the foams, bubbles, waxes, gums, and many other items we take for granted every day. De Gennes, one of the world's leading experts on these strange forms of matter, here addresses topics ranging from soft-matter physics - the formation of rubber, the nature and uses of gum arabic, the wetting and de-wetting of surfaces, and the mysterious properties of bubbles and foams - to the activities of science: the role of individual or team work, the relation of discovery to correction, and the interplay of conscience and knowledge. In the best tradition of science writing, this book teaches us about both our world and ourselves. ... Read more