Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS
Fast Scanning Calorimetry (FSC) provides comprehensive information on the crystallization behavior of semi-crystalline polymers, including the degree of crystallinity as well as melting and crystallization temperatures. It enables detailed kinetic investigations by means of isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization experiments. In selected polymer systems, FSC furthermore allows the identification of distinct crystalline modifications. By extending conventional Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) to extremely high cooling and heating rates of up to 100,000 K/s, FSC permits the investigation of crystallization phenomena under conditions that are close to those in polymer processing. These calorimetric methods can contribute to process optimization, help minimize component warpage, and enable control over crystallization as well as supporting shorter cycle times.
FSC can be employed in various application areas:
- Determination of the glass transition and crystallization/melting behavior
- Analysis of crystallization kinetics over timescales ranging from milliseconds to hours
- Determination of heat capacity over a broad temperature and scanning-rate range
- Investigation of process-relevant cooling rates, such as those occurring in injection molding, as well as metastable or otherwise difficult-to-access material states