Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is a powerful technique to determine the heat flowing in-and-out of a material during a defined temperature & time profile. This heat and the temperatures & conditions at which it is manifested can provide information on:
- material properties: heat capacity,...
- physical transitions: phase transitions (e.g. melting, crystallization), glass transitions, polymorphic transitions,...
- chemical reactions & kinetics: polymerization, crosslinking, curing, oxidation,...

More specifically the following parameters can be determined:
- melting temperature & enthalpy: please see our offering "Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC): determination of melting point & enthalpy"
- crystallization temperature & enthalpy of crystallization, degree of crystallization
- glass transition temperature (& step height)
- specific heat capacity
- Oxidation Induction Time: please see our offering "Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC): determination of Oxidation Induction Time (OIT)"

Please contact us to further discuss your specific measurement requirements.

The Oxidation Induction Time is the time for which an antioxidant stabilizer system present in a material inhibits oxidation while the material is held isothermally at a specified temperature in a stream of oxygen.
Practically a sample is placed in a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and heated to a specified temperature under N2 after which the atmosphere is changed to O2 and the temperature is kept constant (i.e. isothermal). A strong increase in exothermic heat flow indicates the time of depletion of antioxidant stabilizers and the onset of oxidation reactions.
Make sure to include information on the aim of your measurement, your desired measurement conditions (temperature, atmosphere,...) and the chemical nature (e.g. PP, PE, PET, PA,... preferably with a safety datasheet) of your polymer with your order. Extra costs may apply depending on the complexity and duration of your requested conditions.
For more information or more complex requirements, please contact us.

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) allows the determination of the polymer's melting point and the enthalpy of melting: when melting starts, the added heat is used for the phase transition (i.e. endothermic process), not for an increase in temperature. The peak of the heat flow indicates the melting temperature while the surface area of the peak is a measure for the enthalpy of melting.
Make sure to include information on the aim of your measurement, your desired measurement conditions (temperature range, heating rate,...) and the chemical nature (e.g. PP, PE, PET, PA,... preferably with a safety datasheet) of your polymer with your order. Extra costs may apply depending on the complexity and duration of your requested conditions.
For more information or more complex requirements, please contact us."

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a powerful technique to study the change in weight of a material as a function of time and/or temperature related to physical and chemical phenomena like absorption, adsorption, desorption, phase change, decomposition,....
For measurements at constant temperature, please see our offering "Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA): determination of isothermal weight loss (volatiles, moisture, residu)".
For measurements at constant temperature ramp rate, please see our offering "Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA): determination of thermal stability/decomposition temperature/pyrolysis".
For special, more complex measurement conditions, please contact us to further discuss your requirements.

During ashing, also know als pyrolysis, the sample is heated in air to elevated temperatures effectively burning off all organic matter. It is typically used to determine the content of inorganic fillers or contamination. Pyrolysis is normally done at 570, 600°C or 900°C.
Make sure to include information on the aim of your measurement, your desired measurement conditions (pyrolysis temperature, ramp rate,...) and the chemical nature (e.g. PP, PE, PET, PA,... preferably with a safety datasheet) of your polymer with your order. Extra costs may apply depending on the complexity and duration of your requested conditions.
For more information or more complex requirements, please contact us."

In this analysis, a sample is placed in the thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and is quickly heated to a target temperature after which the temperature is kept stable (i.e. isothermal or 'controlled temperature') and the change in weight is recorded as a function of time.
The resulting weight change profile can be used to study of phenomena like absorption, adsorption, desorption, phase change, decomposition,....
For example the presence and quantity of moisture, residues and volatiles in your polymer can be determined from the recorded weight losses.
Make sure to include information on the aim of your measurement, your desired measurement conditions (temperature, atmosphere,...) and the chemical nature (e.g. PP, PE, PET, PA,... preferably with a safety datasheet) of your polymer with your order. Extra costs may apply depending on the complexity and duration of your requested conditions.
For more information or more complex requirements, please contact us."

In this analysis, a sample is placed in the thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and heated to a target temperature at a specific controlled heating rate while simultaneously measuring the sample weight.
The resulting weight change profile can be used to study of phenomena like decomposition, oxidation, desorption,...
At some point, the material will typically start to decompose/pyrolyze: the polymer chains start breaking into smaller fragments that outgass and cause a drop in the measured weight.
In this analysis, the weight change profile is recorded as a function of increasing temperature. A typical parameter that can be determined is the decomposition temperature which is often defined as the temperature at which 2% or 5% weight loss has occured.
Make sure to include information on your desired measurement conditions (stability criteria & parameters, temperature range, ramp speed,...) and the chemical nature (e.g. PP, PE, PET, PA,... preferably based a safety datasheet) of your polymer with your order. Extra costs may apply depending on the complexity and duration of your requested conditions.
Please contact us for more information."