Thermoanalysis (Room A.2.19)

Laboratory management

Phone

E-Mail

DSC - sometimes also referred to as DTA (differential thermal analysis) - is a standard method for analysing plastics and failure analysis. Sample quantities in the milligram range are heated and calorimetrically measured, i.e. heat absorption and release are determined. From this, transitions (glass transition, melting point, crystallisation temperature, degree of crystallisation, chemical reactions, etc.) can be determined. The material can thus be identified or statements can be made about its history (cooling in the mould, ageing, water content, post-heat treatment, etc.).
The special variant OIT (oxidative induction time and temperature) refers to the operation of the DSC with the targeted addition of oxygen. This allows oxidation inhibitors, for example, to be detected and their effect compared.
Device: Netzsch DSC 204 Phoenix

TGA is also an important method of thermal analysis. The smallest sample quantities are heated to temperatures of over 900 °C, and the mass or mass loss of the sample is recorded at the same time. This allows filler quantities, inorganic additives and the degradation behaviour of the plastics to be determined or mixtures of materials to be identified.
A special feature is the coupling to the FTIR: The gaseous decomposition products of the TGA can be fed directly into the analysis chamber of the FT infrared spectroscopy and analysed qualitatively there. In this way, the composition of volatile components, for example, can be identified depending on the temperature.
device: Netzsch TGA 209 F1 Iris

DMA is a fundamental and highly versatile analysis tool in plastics technology. The viscoelastic properties of samples are analysed over a wide temperature range. The samples are subjected to a small, sinusoidal, mechanical vibration with different frequencies. At the same time, the temperature is increased linearly. By measuring strain and stress as well as the phase relationship of these two variables, important mechanical parameters such as storage modulus, loss modulus and loss factor are obtained. They enable statements to be made about the relationship between frequency/time and temperature, glass transition, embrittlement, softening, ageing, heat and cold behaviour, damping, hardening and much more. By converting the results into "master curves", predictions can be made as to the frequencies up to which materials can be used at specified temperatures.
Device:Netzsch DMA 242 with tensile, compression, penetration, shear, 3-point bending, single and dual cantilever test fixtures.