Includes bibliographical references and index.

Characteristics of soft matters -- Basic interactions in soft matters -- Structures determination of soft matters -- Complexity of soft matters -- Static electrorheological effects -- Dynamics of electrorheological effects -- Granular systems.

" 'Soft matter' was introduced to describe something that goes plastic with soap bubbles, from gels, elastomers, liquid crystals, cosmetic creams, mud, ceramic paste, etc. Soft matters are usually called complex fluids in the North America. Soft matters refer to the soft condensed matters : the materials other than those in gas and solid states, but usually not including simple fluids. From the point of view of materials, soft matter physics is concerned with physical principles governing the behaviors of foams, liquid crystals, polymers, colloidal dispersions, micro emulsion, micelle and various types of biological liquids, suspensions, and even granular materials, because of their wide applications"-- Chapter 1.