Technical Sessions

Rheometry refers to a broad range of experimental techniques that quantify complex deformation and flow behaviors via stress and strain measurements. This session aims to showcase the latest advancements and innovations in rheometric techniques, highlighting both new solutions to long-lasting problems in traditional rheometry and cutting-edge approaches that extend the time-, length-, and energy-scale of rheometry. We welcome talks on topics including but not limited to: new capabilities and limitations of capillary, Couette, rotational, shear, and extensional rheometers; microfluidic rheometry; high-throughput characterization; minimal sample volumes and amounts; optical and microrheology techniques; high-frequency bulk rheometers; rheo-X in-situ combination with other structural characterizations; and data analysis and interpretation. Advanced rheometry continues to deepen our understanding of material microstructure, dynamics, and performance across diverse applications. The future of rheology relies on new methods.

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The seminal works of Doi and Edwards on the theory of polymer dynamics have inspired a rapid development of predictive soft matter science over the past 50 years. This field, based on statistical physics, addresses complex problems involving multi-medium, multi-scale and multi-physics phenomena, which are commonly encountered in industrial and biological systems. At the dawn of a new industrial revolution, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought about a paradigm shift in the scientific discovery process. AI methods have already had successes in creating constitutive models from laboratory data, and show promise to transform the field further in the coming decades. This session will highlight the rapidly evolving fields of AI rheology, as well as theoretical and computational rheology, to inform the novel design of smart molecules and formulations, optimize and control industrial processes, and ultimately help address the grand challenges of sustainable development in the world.
Sir Sam Edwards FRS was one of the great scientific minds of the 20th century. His fundamental contributions to the field of soft matter spanned from polymers, through gels, colloids, granular materials, and glasses, to optimization problems. This session will be dedicated to commemorating the centenary of his birth.

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This session focuses on the recent developments in polymer rheology, covering melts, solutions, copolymers, blends, rubbers, and composites. We invite both experimental and theoretical contributions on topics including the fundamentals of polymer dynamics, linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity, structure-property relationships, phase behavior, as well as strategies for designing polymer materials with tailored performance. Contributions on emerging areas such as sustainable polymers, reprocessable rubbers, high-performance composites, and the role of interfacial dynamics in complex materials are also highly encouraged.

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This special session celebrates the 50th anniversary of a foundational breakthrough in rheology: the creation and development of Boger fluids. Named in honor of Professor David Boger, these viscoelastic fluids with constant shear viscosity have become an indispensable cornerstone of our discipline.
For half a century, Boger fluids have served as the quintessential model system for probing complex elastic flow phenomena without the complicating factor of shear thinning. They have been instrumental in validating constitutive equations, benchmarking numerical simulations, and developing novel experimental techniques. This session will highlight the profound and enduring impact of David Boger's work, which provided a unique "ideal" fluid that bridged the gap between theoretical rheology and experimental observation. Notably, The Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics will be running a Special Issue aligned with this celebration, offering an additional platform to showcase cutting-edge research and insights related to Boger fluids and their far-reaching contributions.
Beyond his foundational role in fundamental rheology, Boger’s visionary work also paved the way for transformative applications in industrial and environmental contexts. In particular, his pioneering contributions to Environmental Rheology—especially in the sustainable management of industrial and mineral waste—have had a profound practical impact. By applying rheological principles to the treatment and reuse of waste materials, Boger and his collaborators developed innovative technologies such as paste tailings disposal, which significantly enhances the safety, stability, and environmental performance of mineral processing operations. These advances demonstrate how rheological insight can address real-world challenges in resource efficiency and environmental protection.

We will welcome contributions that explore the past, present, and future of this field. Topics will include, but are not limited to:
• Historical perspectives on the development and synthesis of Boger fluids.
• Fundamental studies utilizing Boger fluids to elucidate viscoelastic flow instabilities and phenomena.
• Advances in computational rheology validated against Boger fluid experiments.
• The application of Boger fluids as benchmark materials in modern rheometric practices.
• Rheological solutions for environmental and industrial challenges, including waste treatment and recycling.
• Experimental methods for measuring shear yield stress in highly-filled suspensions and viscoplastic materials.
• Applications of viscoplastic flow principles in mineral processing (e.g., slurry handling, waste minimization, process optimization).
• Future directions and novel applications inspired by this pioneering work.

Join us in honoring the legacy of David Boger, a legacy that continues to shape and inspire rheological research worldwide.

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This session focuses on studies where the non-Newtonian behavior of fluids plays a critical role, particularly emphasizing flow instabilities, transient dynamics, flow induced phase transitions and the formation of shear bands. Contributions addressing complex fluid responses under deformation, including time-dependent rheology, spatially heterogeneous flows, chaotic behaviors, and viscoelastic instabilities are highly encouraged. Research exploring multiphase systems, industrial applications, and coupled transport phenomena involving non-Newtonian fluids—such as processing flows and elastocapillary effects—are also warmly welcomed.

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When we manipulate and observe matter at these diminutive scales, we enter a realm where surface forces dominate over gravity, where classical fluid dynamics gives way to surprising new physics. This session brings together interdisciplinary research focused on the unique phenomena, when fluids are confined or interfaces dominate. 

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to: probing the mechanical properties of complex soft materials, from colloidal gels to living cells, using embedded particles and novel techniques; pioneering the precise manipulation of minute fluid volumes to enable breakthroughs in lab-on-a-chip diagnostics, single-cell analysis, and energy conversion systems; investigating the stability, dynamics, and rupture of thin films for applications in advanced coatings, lubrication, and biological systems; exploring the fundamental physics of fluid-solid interactions at the nanoscale, where exotic slip phenomena and altered viscosity define new flow regimes.

Join us to discover cutting-edge work that bridges physics, engineering, chemistry, and biology, offering insights for both fundamental science and next-generation technological applications.

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This session is dedicated to the interfacial rheology of soft materials, with a particular emphasis on the role of gas-liquid and liquid-liquid interfaces in governing the macroscopic behavior of complex fluids such as emulsions, droplets, bubbles and foams. With growing industrial demand for sustainable, natural, and high-performance formulations in food and cosmetic products, understanding and tailoring interfacial architectures has become essential for controlling stability, texture, and delivery properties. However, the multi-scale nature of interfacial dynamics--from molecular adsorption and monolayer rheology to droplet coalescence and foam ripening--poses significant challenges in linking microstructure to bulk performance.
Motivated by these challenges, this session aims to bridge emerging fundamental insights with practical applications through interdisciplinary exchange. We bring together experimentalists, theoreticians, and engineers to showcase advances in interfacial characterization, modeling, and simulation that decode the complexity of fluid interfaces. By facilitating dialogue across scales and disciplines, we seek to accelerate the design of novel soft materials and processing strategies that meet evolving consumer and sustainability goals.

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This session invites contributions on the rheology of self-assembling, living, and active systems, as well as biorheological and medical applications. Topics of interest include molecularly organized and dynamically reconfigurable networks, stimuli-responsive hydrogels, polyelectrolyte systems, concentrated solutions of biopharmaceutical macromolecules, and other supramolecular assemblies. We also encourage studies on the mechanical behavior of cells, microbial populations, and synthetic active particles, among others, investigated in bulk or at interfaces. Research on physiological processes, such as blood flow, mucus transport, extracellular matrices, and cellular mechanics, is equally welcome, encompassing experimental investigations, theoretical modeling, simulations, and AI-enabled approaches.

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This session focuses on the rheology of complex soft-matter systems—including suspensions, electrorheological (ER) and magnetorheological (MR) fluids, smart gels, as well as their applications in devices and soft robots. We welcome contributions on experimental, theoretical, and computational studies that elucidate the flow behavior, microstructural evolution, and nonlinear viscoelasticity of these systems under external fields (e.g., electric, magnetic, thermal, or mechanical).

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Amorphous matter far from equilibrium, such as glasses, gels, and jammed systems, present fundamental physics challenges. They also find applications across a wide range of materials, including glassy polymers in synthetic materials, colloidal gels in consumer products, and jammed cellular structures in biological tissues. Furthermore, insights into frictional and granular materials are fundamental to explaining geophysical phenomena. Research in this field bridges traditional disciplines—spanning physics, biology, mechanics, materials science, and engineering—and provides vital perspectives on the structure and dynamics of amorphous solids.
This session is dedicated to the fundamental rheology of amorphous solids. We welcome contributions from experimental, theoretical, and computational studies that explore mechanical response, relaxation dynamics, kinetic arrest, aging phenomenon, jamming transition, and relationship between microscopic structure and macroscopic rheology in such amorphous solids.

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This session aims to explore the pivotal role of rheology in materials processing, smart manufacturing, and industrial sustainability. It focuses on bridging fundamental rheology research with practical applications to support the development of low-carbon, high-performance, and scalable manufacturing technologies.

Key topics include but not limited to:
(1) Industrial Rheology: Rheological behavior and control mechanisms in traditional industries such as cement, petroleum, metallurgy, and pastes, emphasizing challenges in large-scale production like flow stability, consistency assurance, and energy efficiency.
(2) Materials Processing Rheology: The impact of rheology on precision, sustainability, and performance in processes including additive manufacturing, injection molding, compression molding, extrusion, blow molding, casting, fiber spinning, foaming, resin infusion, pultrusion, and metal forming.
(3) Rheology in Smart Manufacturing: Integration of real-time rheological monitoring, AI-driven simulation, and intelligent control systems into production lines for automated optimization, data-driven material design, and improved process sustainability.
(4) Rheology for Green Manufacturing: Development and rheological optimization of eco-friendly materials (e.g., recycled composites, biodegradable polymers), low-energy processing routes, and waste-reduction strategies to support carbon neutrality goals.

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Geomaterials are widely distributed on the surface and in deep underground of the Earth and outer space in complex environmental conditions. Geomaterials are susceptible to physical and chemical processes such as mineral weathering, water-induced disintegration, strength softening, temperature influences, chemical interaction, microcrack propagation, etc. These processes give rise to pronounced rheological characteristics. This session invites contributions on the complex rheological behavior of geomaterials and their multi-scale mechanisms. Topics of interest include:
• Time-dependent nonlinear mechanical behavior of geomaterials under extreme environmental conditions (e.g., high temperature and pressure, low gravity, ultra-high vacuum, strong radiation);
• Long-term evolution of geomaterials and their behavior under conditions such as planetary weathering, supporting long-term operation of high-altitude hydropower stations, storage of nuclear wastes, etc.;
• Cutting-edge experimental techniques and devices, numerical simulation approaches, and artificial intelligence methods in georheology research.
The session aims to advance our new understandings, innovative technologies, and new methods or models in area of geotechnical and geological rheology, which will benefit humanity’s exploration and utilization of the surface and deep underground of the Earth and outer space.

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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.

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This session invites experimental or theoretical contributions on the rheological studies of various complex systems that are not covered by other parallel sessions. Contributions aimed at educating and popularizing rheology are also welcome.

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