Modulated self-organization in complex amphiphilic systems

We discuss novel simulation methods for 3D pattern formation in complex amphiphilic systems. The focus is on the supra-molecular or mesoscopic level. The building blocks consist of sequences of dissimilar monomers, connected in copolymer chain molecules. Internal factors such as composition and architecture of the polymers, but also external factors such as applied shear, embedded reactions and level of confinement control the self organization phenomena. Specific examples include dynamical pattern formation in polymer surfactant solution, reactive polymer blends and surface directed structure formation in block copolymer liquids. The approach lives in a twilight zone between scientific disciplines. The ambitious goal is the invention of methods for the rational design of truly complex bio-mimicking materials, in which we combine principles from physics, chemistry and biology. The keywords are self-organization of course, but also stochastic differential equations, numerically stable and accurate discrete differential and integral operators and guided iterative minimization methods.