Thermal Analysis Equipment

Thermal analysis is a branch of materials science in which the properties of materials are studied as a function of change with temperature. Several methods are commonly used and are distinguished from each another according to the property being measured:

• Dielectric thermal analysis (DEA): dielectric permittivity and loss factor
• Differential thermal analysis (DTA): temperature difference versus temperature or time
• Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC): heat flow changes versus temperature or time
• Dilatometry (DIL): volume changes with temperature change
• Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA or DMTA): measures storage modulus (stiffness) and loss modulus (damping) versus temperature, time and frequency
• Evolved gas analysis (EGA): analysis of gases evolved during heating of a material, usually decomposition products
• Laser flash analysis (LFA): thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity
• Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA): mass change versus temperature or time
• Thermomechanical analysis (TMA): dimensional changes versus temperature or time
• Thermo-optical analysis (TOA): optical properties
• Derivatography: a complex method in thermal analysis

A range of thermal analysis equipment is available across the four universities:

• Differential scanning calorimetry is available in all four universities in different groups
• Dilatometry equipment is available at Imperial College London, University of Cambridge and The University of Manchester
• Dynamic mechanical analysis at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Imperial and Manchester
• Laser flash analysis at Imperial and Manchester
• Thermogravimetric analysis at Cambridge, Illinois and Manchester
• Simultaneous differential thermal (DTA) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) is available at Imperial and Manchester
• Thermogravimetric analysis with mass spectrometry at Imperial
• Thermogravimetric analysis with Fourier transform infrared and evolved gas mass spectrometry at Manchester