Differential scanning calorimetry can be used to measure a number of characteristic properties of a sample. Using this technique it is possible to observe fusion and crystallization events as well as glass transition temperatures Tg. DSC Thermal analysis can be used in conjunction with FTIR analysis to identify many types of polymers. Each Polymer has a melt point or a glass transition temperature, depending on what that is, we can identify the make up of the polymer. It can also be used to quantify the individual polymers present in a copolymer and also the percentage of each polymer in the copolymer can be estimated.
TGA thermogravimetric capabilities:
- Compositional analysis of materials
- Decomposition temperatures
- Rate of degradation
- Product lifetimes
- Oxidative stability
- Evaluation of polymer flammabilities
- Thermal stabilities
- Determination of rancidity of edible oils
- Fingerprinting unknown polymers
- Moisture Content
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) analysis
- Analysis of evolved gases using TGA/FTIR
- Competitive product evaluation
TGA measures the amount of weight change of a material, either as a function of increasing temperature, or isothermally as a function of time, in an atmosphere of nitrogen, helium, air, other gas.