Somex at ÖGR Meeting 2025

Our Master student Eva Hudec shared her latest findings on Soft Matter rheology during the annual ÖGR Meeting 2025 with the members of the Austrian Society of Rheology.

Details of the talk:

Multi-scale study of the yielding transition with quantitative rheo-microscopy

Abstract: We investigate how microscopic dynamics underpin the bulk rheological behavior of soft materials by integrating quantitative microscopy with rheological measurements. The coupling of a commercial rheometer with high-resolution microscopy enables direct comparison of structural rearrangements with bulk rheometry across the yielding transition. Gap scanning techniques allow for the detection of shear-induced instabilities, enhancing our understanding of complex flow behaviors. Phase-correlation analysis reconstructs complete shear profiles and calculates local strains, providing insight into the mesoscopic behavior of the studied samples. An echo protocol combined with particle tracking resolves microscopic dynamics and their heterogeneity. This work brings us closer to the rheologist’s dream: directly observing the structures responsible for flow and deformation.