The Soft Matter Facility (SoMF) at Texas A&M University is the only user facility in Texas dedicated to state-of-art characterization of multifunctional soft materials. Established through the Research Development Fund, SoMF unites expertise from the Colleges of Engineering, Arts and Sciences, and Agriculture and Life Sciences, making it a truly cross-disciplinary hub for innovation. Beyond access to advanced instrumentation, SoMF collaborates closely with users to co-develop unique characterization methods and custom sample environments – including novel sample stages and environmental chambers – tailored to their research needs. Our research scientist team, with diverse backgrounds spanning materials science, chemistry, energy, manufacturing, and biology, provides strong support and consulting to help users design experiments, interpret and visualize results, and translate findings into actionable insights.
Located in 3,100 sq.ft. of advanced laboratory space within the TCF building at Research Parkway, SoMF houses four specialized instrumentation suites focused on:
- Molecular characterization
- Nanostructure analysis
- Thin-film and interfacial studies
- Thermomechanical evaluation
These resources enable academic and industry partners to design, fabricate, and optimize hierarchically structured, multicomponent soft material systems.
Open to the entire Texas A&M Community and external collaborators, SoMF serves universities, research organizations, hospitals, and companies across Texas. By offering advanced chemical and physical characterization capabilities, the facility accelerates discoveries that advance manufacturing, energy, environment, healthcare, and agriculture.
At SoMF, complex soft matter challenges will be transformed into solutions with real-world impact!
