This session explores the frontier of rheology in the unique environment of space and low-gravity conditions. The absence of dominant buoyancy-driven flows and sedimentation on Earth unveils a hidden realm of soft matter physics, where subtle forces like surface tension, jamming, and microscopic interactions become the dominant actors. We will highlight how research in microgravity is not merely about adapting Earth-bound knowledge but is fundamentally revolutionizing our understanding of complex fluids—from colloidal assemblies and granular materials to active biomatter and advanced polymers. The research is critical for mastering in-situ resource utilization on the Moon and Mars, designing new materials for space exploration, and answering foundational questions in physics that are obscured by gravity on Earth.
Chairs:
| Olfa D'Angelo (Université de Toulouse, France) Kai LI (Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) |
Decai LI (Tsinghua University, China) Wenling ZHANG (Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China) |