The Soft Matter Dynamics Experiment for the ISS
Abstract
Soft Matter Dynamics is an experiment platform developped under ESA contract to enable a variety of soft matter experiments with extended micro gravity time from August 2018.Soft matter are materials that are "supramolecular, exhibit macroscopic softness, have metastable states and a sensitivity of their equilibrium to external conditions" [de Gennes], for example colloidal suspensions, emulsions, foams and granular media. On the one hand these materials are used in many industrial processes, are well understood empirically and have interesting future potential, for instance as design materials. On the other hand Soft Matters are primary research candidates for investigations on non-equilibrium thermodynamics, phenomena at the critical point or rheology, like jamming and glass transitions. Fundamental research under gravity conditions is generally limited by the macroscopic softness of these materials, i.e., most of the internal processes are completely hidden by gravity induced dynamics and stresses.The Soft Matter Dynamics experiment platform provides optical microscope, single and multi specke diffusing wave spectroscopy, supporting also time resolved correlations, to investigate primarily dynamics on the surface of and inside opaque but translucent materials. The experiment platform can be extended with on-orbit replaceable science cartridges. These so called sample cell units not only allow the extension of the mission by adding additional material samples. These are smart inserts that can include their own custom agitation mechanisms, sensorics, thermalization and thereby expand the science goals of the mission. The initial research are non-equilibrium dynamics in dense granular media and coarsening of wet foams. Potential future experiments include for instance coarsening of emulsions and rheology of foams.The experiment will be launched with Space-X 15 and is scheduled for commisioning in August 2018. The mission, instrument, its mayor design elements, performance and limits will be presented.
- Publication:
-
42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- July 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018cosp...42E3306S