
Dynamic differential calorimetry (DSC) is a method for determining the change in heat energy of a material as a function of temperature and time. It is used at Fraunhofer IMWS in materials research and analysis to investigate the thermal properties of samples. In DSC measurement, the sample is placed in a special DSC cell that contains both a reference chamber and a sample chamber. While the temperature is continuously increased or decreased, the DSC device measures the heat energy absorbed or released by the sample and the reference chamber. The difference between the heat flows in the sample and the reference is recorded and plotted as a function of temperature.
DSC analysis can be used to determine various thermal properties of a sample, including:
- Melting temperature: DSC can identify the melting temperature of a material by measuring the heat flow during the melting process.
- Glass transition temperature: DSC can determine the glass transition temperature (Tg) of a material, at which it transitions from a rigid state to a rubbery state.
- Reaction enthalpy: By measuring the change in heat energy during a chemical reaction, DSC can calculate the reaction enthalpy.
- Thermal conductivity: DSC can provide information about the thermal conductivity of a material by measuring the heat flow through the sample. The results of DSC analysis are typically presented as DSC curves, which plot the heat flow rate against temperature.