From Supercooled Liquids to Glasses: Current Challenges for Amorphous Materials

Amorphous materials are a large sub-set of condensed matters that have no obvious long range structural order. Condensed phases begin at the gas-liquid transition when the attraction between molecules becomes comparable to the thermodynamic temperature. Further cooling down of the liquids may result in crystallization or vitrification depending on the cooling rate. A comprehensive statistical description of the condensed matters is often complicated by the sheer number of interacting elements in those systems. So far, only crystalline solids are relatively well understood thanks to their clear structural symmetries. For both liquids and glasses, a general theoretical framework is still lacking. In particular, supercooled liquids and glasses are thermodynamically out of equilibrium, adding challenges to the current paradigm of condensed matter physics.

The puzzling questions surrounding supercooled liquids and glasses can be roughly divided into four categories: structures, thermodynamics, dynamics and application properties. Recently, it has become more and more clear that the challenges for amorphous materials are not confined to their individual categories, but are deeply intertwined at the most fundamental level. Therefore there is a need for integrating studies on structures, thermodynamics, dynamics and application properties of glasses, and for developing better connections between liquids and glasses. Through these efforts, we might be able to reach a new level of understanding of amorphous materials that will benefit both fundamental sciences and technological applications. The general objective of this program is to bring together the leading researchers in supercooled fluids and glasses across several disciplines, including physicists, chemists, and material scientists, to foster awareness and cross-disciplinary transfer of ideas in this rapidly evolving field.