State-of-the-Art and Precision Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Machine for Thermal Analysis of Thermoplastics
Application:
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is a widely recognized
thermal analysis technique specifically tailored for the thermal
characterization of polymers and polymer blends, including:
- Thermoplastics (polymers, moulding compounds, and other moulding
materials—with or without fillers, fibres, or reinforcements);
- Thermosets (uncured or cured materials—with or without fillers,
fibres, or reinforcements);
- Elastomers (with or without fillers, fibres, or reinforcements).
DSC is engineered for the observation and quantitative measurement
of various intrinsic properties and associated thermal phenomena of
the aforementioned materials, such as:
- Physical transitions (e.g., glass transition; phase transitions
including melting, crystallization, and polymorphic transitions);
- Chemical reactions (e.g., polymerization, crosslinking, and curing
of elastomers and thermosets);
- Oxidative stability;
- Heat capacity.
The instrument features:
1. Display System
Equipped with an LCD liquid crystal display with blue backlight, it
presents abundant real-time information—including set temperature,
sample temperature, oxygen flow rate, nitrogen flow rate,
differential thermal signal, and the status of various
switches—enabling comprehensive monitoring of test parameters.
2. Communication Interface
The USB communication interface offers strong universality, stable
and uninterrupted data transmission, and supports an automatic
reconnection function—ensuring reliable connectivity during
long-duration testing processes.
3. Furnace Structure & Heating Performance
- The furnace body features a compact design with a stepless
adjustable heating rate, flexibly adapting to diverse
temperature-rise requirements for different test scenarios.
- The installation process is optimized with a full mechanical fixing
method, which completely eliminates the risk of differential
thermal signal contamination by colloids inside the
furnace—effectively safeguarding test data accuracy.
4. Dual Temperature Probe Design
This design ensures high repeatability of sample temperature
measurement, addressing the limitations of single-probe systems:
- A temperature probe mounted on the furnace wall implements PID
control of the overall furnace temperature. However, thermal
inertia causes a certain deviation between the furnace wall
temperature and the actual sample temperature, and this deviation
varies with seasons.
- To resolve this issue, an additional temperature probe is installed
at the bottom of the sample to measure its real-time actual
temperature. Combined with our proprietary temperature control
technology, the furnace wall temperature is precisely regulated to
make the sample temperature reach the set value—significantly
reducing errors in both differential thermal signals and
temperature data.
5. Gas Atmosphere Control
A digital gas mass flow meter enables automatic switching between
two gas atmosphere flows. It features fast switching speed and
short stabilization time—maintaining consistent and reliable
atmosphere conditions throughout the test cycle.
6. Calibration & Cooling Functions
- Standard samples are provided to facilitate customers’ calibration
of temperature coefficients, simplifying routine verification
operations.
- A dedicated furnace cooling interface is integrated to support
rapid furnace cooling, shortening the interval between consecutive
tests and improving work efficiency.
7. Software Capabilities
The software adapts to computer screens of various resolutions,
automatically adjusting the curve display mode according to the
screen size. It is compatible with both laptops and desktops, and
supports operating systems such as Win2000, XP, VISTA, and WIN7.
It supports user-programmable test protocols to realize automated
testing workflows. The software offers dozens of built-in
instructions, allowing users to flexibly combine and save
instructions based on their specific test procedures—simplifying
complex operations into one-key execution.
Technical para:
| Temperature range | Room temperature to 500 ℃ |
| Temperature resolution | 0.1 ℃ |
| Heating rate | 0.1 ~ 80 ℃ / min |
| DSC range | 0 ~ + 500 mw |
| DSC resolution | 0.01 mW |
| DSC sensitivity | 0.1 mW |
| Working power supply | AC 220V 50Hz |
| PC interface | USB |
FAQ:
Q1: What is a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC)?
A1: A Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) is a high-precision
thermal analysis instrument that measures the heat flow difference
between a sample and a reference material under programmable
temperature conditions. It is widely utilized to characterize the
thermal properties and associated thermal phenomena of various
materials.
Q2: What is the main purpose of a DSC machine?
A2: Its primary objective is the quantitative analysis of
materials’ thermal behaviors, including physical transitions (glass
transition, melting, crystallization, polymorphic transitions),
chemical reactions (polymerization, crosslinking, curing),
oxidative stability, and heat capacity. It delivers actionable data
to support material R&D, quality control, and compliance
verification processes.
Q3: Which materials can a DSC machine test?
A3: It is applicable to a diverse spectrum of materials, including
but not limited to polymers (thermoplastics, thermosets,
elastomers) with or without fillers, fibers, or reinforcements,
pharmaceuticals, food products, cosmetics, inorganic materials,
metals, and composite materials.
Q4: What are the key technical parameters of a DSC machine?
A4: Typical key technical parameters include:
- Temperature range: Ambient to 500°C (up to 1000°C for
high-temperature models);
- Temperature control accuracy: ±0.1°C to ±0.5°C;
- Heating/cooling rates: 0.1–100°C/min (stepless adjustable);
- Atmosphere control: Supports inert gases (N₂, Ar) or oxidative gas
(O₂), equipped with digital gas mass flow meters for precise flow
regulation.
Q5: Which standards does a DSC machine comply with?
A5: It strictly complies with international, regional, and national
standards, such as ISO 11357 (Polymer thermal analysis), ASTM E967
(Standard test method for DSC), and GB/T 19466
(Plastic—Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) testing), ensuring
the traceability and compliance of test results.
