Lecture
What can images bring to your thermal analysis results?
- at -
- B1.131
- Type: Lecture
Lecture description
Abstract Thermal analysis techniques like DSC, STA, DMA, and TMA have long been used to study material properties, but understanding the exact changes in samples during experiments could be challenging. Visual observation within the furnace of a thermal analysis instrument provides valuable insights into sample positioning, size, shape, and colour changes. Observing samples during thermal analysis helps in understanding and explaining results. For example, a TGA curve artifact caused by air trapped in a sample could easily be explained if the image of an air bubble burst out of the sample during a measurement. Visual images can confirm changes in crystalline forms during thermal analysis. For instance, DSC results of Carbamazepine Form I show its melt, recrystallization to Form III, and subsequent melt, with visible images confirming these changes. Some materials undergo colour changes over specific temperature ranges. Collecting visible images during thermal analysis allows accurate temperature control and study of thermal behaviour and colour changes. Colour analysis using pixel colour information and models like RGB, Lab, and CMYK can quantify these changes. Microscope-DSCs enable the analysis of small features such as contamination within a polymer matrix or individual layers within a multilayer sample, which standard DSC cannot detect. These systems allow thermal event measurements of features smaller than 10µm with precise temperature control. For example, polymer laminates analysed by microscope-DSC show melting temperatures of individual layers closely matching the raw materials used. Conclusion The presentation will cover the advantages of visual observation in thermal analysis techniques (DSC, STA, DMA, and TMA) with real examples demonstrating the power of these techniques. It will also discuss the additional information that can be extracted from visible images, such as RGB values.Conclusion Integrating visual observation with thermal analysis techniques significantly enhances the understanding of material behaviour during experiments. It provides detailed insights into sample positioning, shape, crystalline form changes, and colour changes, crucial for accurate analysis and interpretation. Advanced tools like microscope-DSC further expand thermal analysis capabilities, allowing precise measurements of small features and individual layers within complex samples.
