Synchronous thermal analyzer is a comprehensive characterization tool in modern material analysis. It can simultaneously obtain information on the changes in mass and thermal effects of samples under programmed temperature control in one measurement, providing efficient and accurate perspectives for understanding the thermal stability, composition, and reaction kinetics of materials.
1、 Core principles and integrated dual-use functions
The core design concept of STA is "all-in-one dual-use", which integrates thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry into the same system.
Thermogravimetric analysis module: Real time monitoring of the mass change of the sample under controlled atmosphere (such as nitrogen, air) with temperature changes. The principle is based on a high-precision balance, which can accurately record the mass loss or gain of the sample caused by volatilization, decomposition, oxidation and other processes.
Differential scanning calorimetry module: synchronously measures the amount of heat absorbed or released by the sample relative to the reference substance during heating, cooling, or constant temperature processes. This reveals thermal effects such as phase transition (such as melting, crystallization), solidification, oxidative decomposition, and glass transition of materials.
2、 Technical advantages: synchronicity and precision
The biggest advantage of STA is "synchronization". It correlates the quality change signal of TG with the heat flow signal of DSC in the same thermal field, atmosphere, and time dimensions. This eliminates errors caused by uneven samples and small differences in conditions during segmented measurements, making the interpretation of complex processes more accurate and reliable. For example, it can clearly distinguish whether a weightlessness step is an endothermic decomposition process or an exothermic oxidation process.
3、 Multidimensional application scenarios
With its powerful comprehensive analysis capabilities, STA has a wide range of application scenarios:
Polymer materials: Accurately measure the melting temperature and crystallinity of plastics, the glass transition temperature of rubber, the thermal decomposition temperature and thermal oxidation stability of polymers, and analyze their component contents (such as plasticizers and fillers).
Drug development: used for screening drug polymorphs, determining melting points, detecting the removal process of crystalline water or solvents, and evaluating the purity of drugs.
Inorganic non-metallic materials: Analyze the decomposition temperature of ceramics, the decomposition steps and content of inorganic substances such as calcium carbonate, and study the oxidation and weight gain behavior of metal materials.
Energy and Geology: Evaluating the calorific value, combustion characteristics, and ash content of fuels such as coal; Analyze the composition and phase transition of minerals in geological samples.
In summary, the synchronous thermal analyzer can provide dual fingerprints of material "quality" and "heat" changes through one experiment, becoming a powerful comprehensive platform for material thermal property identification, composition analysis, and performance evaluation.