Glasses and Glass Formers — Current Issues

This book brings together researchers from various backgrounds dealing with the manifestations of the glassy or liquid state of matter, and with the ubiquitous characteristics of the structure and dynamic properties. The goal of this book is to compare the relative merits of different theoretical, computational and experimental approaches to the subject, and to promote the exchange of ideas between the individual disciplines. Papers reflect state-of-the-art knowledge on processes involved in glass formation, and on the relationships between structure and properties of glass-forming liquids, synthetic polymers and biopolymers. Emphasis is on novel experimental techniques, developments in computational methods, and on recent theoretical models which are improving the understanding of the observed phenomena. Topics include: short-time dynamics; relaxation dynamics of glasses and glass formers; glass-like systems, simulations and models; contrasting metallic, ionic, bio and polymer systems; structure, energetics and polyamorphism; and structure and dynamics of glasses and glass formers.