M2 - Physics of Complex and Disordered Matter (SoftMat)

One of the major challenges associated with the use of various materials in our daily lives is their durability—and, consequently, their degradation. In this course, we will address issues related to material durability (resources, reserves, material criticality, etc.) as well as methodologies for studying durability (types of surface/volume aging, temporal extrapolation, multiscale analysis, combination of effects, experimental representation, and industrial validation). This will then enable us to model the kinetics of aging using various models.

The various types of degradation affecting polymers will then be analyzed.

Finally, the aging of various types of materials will be illustrated through a number of real-world case studies (concrete, ceramics, metals, and elastomers).

Hours per week*: 11 hours CM:

                                    9:00 a.m. Tutorial

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Polymer physics—to which this course serves as an introduction—focuses on the physical properties of covalently bonded chain-like assemblies ranging from a few dozen to a few million elementary molecules: polymers or macromolecules.

These synthetic or natural molecules can be observed in the solid state, liquid state, in solution, in a colloidal state, or confined to an interface.

Their highly distinctive physical properties have led to the development of specific theoretical tools and the emergence of this new branch of physics with numerous applications.

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A literature review on a research topic related to the program and potentially connected to the topic of the Master’s 2 internship.

80 hours of independent study spread out over the first semester of the M2 program. Several project progress meetings will be scheduled with the expert advisors and the program’s scientific coordinators.

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English tutorial course for students in the Master 2 Physics program who are preparing for a career in an English-speaking professional environment in a contemporary context.

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This module gives students the opportunity to learn about the unique aspects of the professional world and to prepare to enter it under the best possible conditions, particularly through sharing experiences with professionals in the field. Students practice successfully completing the job application process in a systematic manner by thoroughly analyzing job postings, crafting targeted resumes and cover letters, and preparing for job interviews (through role-playing and simulations).

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This course provides a general introduction to 1) the physics and mechanics of granular media and 2) their modeling using discrete methods (DEM). The multiscale nature of a granular material is discussed, ranging from the microscopic scale (contact interactions) to the macroscopic scale (structural scale). A phenomenological description of macroscopic behavior as well as microscopic properties is discussed for the static, quasi-static, and flow states of granular media. Micromechanical models and scale-change approaches based on dimensionless analyses, averaged quantities, stress transmission, and the presence of anisotropies are introduced. The influence of particle properties and contact interactions on the microstructure is also discussed. Numerical approaches such as discrete methods (Discrete Element Methods, DEM), regular methods (Molecular Dynamics), and non-regular methods (Contact Dynamics) are presented. In particular, the Contact Dynamics method will be applied to simple examples using the LMGC90 computational code.

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This module aims to teach the operating principles of the main techniques used to characterize the structure (in volume and on the surface) and properties (optical, electronic, etc.) of condensed matter:

• X-ray and electron diffraction techniques
• optical spectroscopy techniques (absorption, reflection, luminescence)
• local probe microscopy

  This module aims to teach the operating principles of the main techniques used to characterize the structure (in volume and on the surface) and properties (optical, electronic, etc.) of condensed matter:

  • X-ray and electron diffraction techniques
  • optical spectroscopy techniques (absorption, reflection, luminescence)
  • local probe microscopy

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This course unit provides an introduction to the field of complex fluids and active matter, with applications in both the physical chemistry of soft matter and the physics of living systems and biological objects.

It is common to both the PhyMV and SoftMat tracks.

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Conducting a long-term research project (6 months) at an academic or industrial research laboratory.

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