This is a polymer physics textbook for upper level undergraduates and first year graduate students. Any student with a working knowledge of calculus, physics and chemistry should be able to read this book. The essential tools of the polymer physical chemist or engineer are derived in this book without skipping any steps. The book is a self-contained treatise that could also serve as a useful reference for scientists and engineers working with polymers. While no prior knowledge of polymers is assumed, the book goes far beyond introductory polymer texts in the scope of what is covered. The fundamental concepts required to fully understand polymer melts, solutions and gels in terms of both static structure and dynamics are explained in detail. Problems at the end of each Chapter provide the reader with the opportunity to apply what has been learned to practice. The book is divided into four parts. After an introduction in Chapter 1, where the necessary concepts from a first course on polymers are summarized, the conformations of single polymer chains are treated in Part 1. Part 2 deals with the thermodynamics of polymer solutions and melts, including the conformations of chains in those states. Part 3 applies the concepts of Part 2 to the formation and properties of polymer networks. Finally, Part 4 explains the essential aspects of how polymers move in both melt and solution states. In all cases, attention is restricted to concepts that are firmly entrenched in the field.

本书由被誉为“当代牛顿”的科学大师、诺贝尔奖获得者德热纳以与中学生的谈话和对话的形式，从橡胶、墨水等诸多我们身边的事物里取精用弘、鞭辟入里，具体入微地说明了什么是“软物质”，描述了它们融物理、化学、生物三大学科于一体的全新特征和认知方法。

编者考虑到国内读者对软物质物理学学习和研究兴趣的日益增加以及缺乏基本参考书的现实，应同行们的要求，编者们根据暑期学校的教学交流内容，邀请两位讲演人和部分专家根据自己的研究领域撰写了有关章节，编出了这本《软物质物理学导论》。本书共分三篇26章：第一篇5章为软物质物理学概论，介绍了软物质的基本特性和研究方法；第二篇9章论述了软物质的表面和界面物理；第三篇12章分别介绍了软物质物理学研究的若干领域，包括软物质的自组织、生物膜膜泡形状、胶体物理、电流变液、二维泡沫系统、生物大分子和颗粒物质等方向。、
本书的第一篇以英文文稿交稿，第二篇以法文文稿交稿。第三篇中也有两章以英文文稿。