(DSC) Differential Scanning Calorimetry
The TA Instruments Q100 DSC is a high-throughput, versatile instrument and is capable of temperature ranges from -50°C to 550°C and running up to 50 automated samples using up to 5 reference pans. Differential scanning calorimetry is useful for determining specific materials’ glass transition temperatures, melting points, crystallization points, and heat of formation. It is often used in materials characterization, such as polymers or composites, to determine what types of temperatures and stresses a material can handle.
Measurable Properties
- Specific Heat (aka Heat Capacity or Cp) as a function of temperature
- Transition Enthalpy (aka Latent Heat) for melting and other phase changes
- Temperatures of Melting & Phase Transformations
- Temperature and energy change of Glass Transition & Crystallization
Calibration
The instrument is calibrated with a series of high purity metals. Calibration curves are verified every 6 months or as needed for making sure that the instrument is working at its peak.
Examples of Use
| PROPERTY | METHOD |
|---|---|
| Specific Heat Capacity as a function of time, Cp(t) | Specific heat capacity (Cp) |
| Enthalpy-temperature function | Enthalpy (ΔH) |
| Enthalpy changes, enthalpy of conversion | Integration |
| Enthalpy of fusion, crystallinity, (ΔHfus) | Integration, crystallinity |
| Melting Behavior (liquid content, liquid fraction) | Integration (partial areas), Conversion |
| Melting point, solidus and liquidus point, (TM) | Onset, Purity, and Integration |
| Melting point of semi-crystalline plastics, (TM) | Peak, Integration |
| Purity of non-crystalline plastics | Purity |
| Melting point of the pure substance, (TM) | Purity |
| Crystallization behavior, degree of crystallinity and supercooling | Onset, Integration and Conversion |
| Solid-Solid transition, polymorphism | Integration, Onset and Conversion |
| Vaporization, Sublimation and Desorption | Integration and Conversion |
| Glass transition, amorphous softening, (TG) | Glass Transition (TG) |
| Curie temperature, temperature of a lambda transition, (TC) | Peak and Integration |
| Thermal decomposition, pyrolysis, depolymerization | Integration, Onset and Kinetics |
| Temperature Stability | Onset, Integration and Kinetics |
| Chemical Reactions | Integration and Kinetics |
| Reaction Enthalpy, (ΔHrxn) | Integration |
| Oxidative degradation, oxidation stability, oxidation induction time | Onset |
| Content Determination | Content |