Skip to main content
Industry & Transfer / Services for Companies

Soft Materials

Preparation and characterization of molecular, polymeric and dispersed systems.

Request Soft Materials
All characterization services

What this service offers

Soft-material services support the preparation and characterization of molecular surfaces, polymers, particles, colloids, vesicles, emulsions and delivery systems.

Companies can access established measurements with technical support, data processing and, when requested, interpretation or technical reporting.

Replace with an ICMAB image for Soft Materials

What this service can tell you

Use these information areas to assess whether the service matches your material question.

Materials and systems

9 information areas
  • Molecular surfaces
  • Micro- and nanoparticulate molecular materials
  • Polymer films
  • Dispersed systems
  • Self-assembled monolayers
  • Liposomes, emulsions and vesicles
  • Porous materials
  • Nanoparticles and colloids
  • Biotherapeutic and drug-delivery systems

Size, charge and stability

7 information areas
  • Particle-size distribution and concentration
  • Molecular and hydrodynamic size
  • Zeta potential
  • Molecular weight
  • Aggregation and colloidal stability
  • Sedimentation, creaming, flocculation and coalescence
  • Stability kinetics and indices

Interactions and morphology

5 information areas
  • Morphological homogeneity
  • Porosity and pore-size control
  • Molecular interactions in solution
  • Binding affinity, kinetics and thermodynamic parameters
  • Stability of suspensions, emulsions, vesicles and dispersed systems

Application areas

5 information areas
  • Biomedicine
  • Electronics
  • Energy storage
  • Chemical processes
  • Advanced materials

Techniques and service routes

The service uses the following established techniques or technical routes, selected according to the sample and information required.

Available options

  • Particle-size and concentration analysis
  • Zeta-potential and molecular-weight measurements
  • Colloidal-stability analysis
  • Molecular-interaction studies
  • Porosity characterization

From measurement to a usable result

Technical consultation

Before measurement

Align the sample, technique and information need.

Measurement data

Core output

Receive data generated with the agreed service route.

Data processing

Result preparation

Process and organise the data for technical assessment.

Interpretation or report

When requested

Add interpretation or technical reporting where included in the scope.

An established technical service

This page describes access to existing techniques and infrastructure within the ICMAB Scientific and Technical Services.

Need a custom experimental programme?

New methods, customised programmes, in-situ or operando measurements, device development and advanced scientific interpretation beyond the standard service should be discussed as contract research or collaboration with an ICMAB research group.

Discuss your soft materials request

Describe your material, sample format, the information you need and any relevant measurement constraints so the technical team can assess the request.

Request Soft Materials
Explore all services