How foams unstable on Earth behave in microgravity?
Résumé
Foams made of gas bubbles dispersed in a liquid have limited stability and disappear rapidly unless surface active species are used. Foams can be a nuisance or very much sought after, however the control over the foaming and stability is still hampered because of the limited understanding of foam properties. On Earth, liquid rapidly drains out of the foam because of gravity, the liquid films formed between bubbles thin and break. In microgravity conditions, gravity drainage is suppressed and stability is expected to be greatly enhanced. We describe investigations of foams that are very unstable on Earth, including foams made with liquids containing antifoaming agents. Experiments performed in the International Space Station (ISS) show that foam generation can still be limited, however once created these foams are very stable.