Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is a thermoanalytical tool used to track changes in heat capacity of a material with temperature. This is achieved by measuring the heat flow of a known weight sample when it is heated or cooled over time against a reference material. DSC is commonly used for polymeric and non-metallic materials to study melting/crystallization behavior, solid-solid reactions, polymorphism, degree of crystallinity, glass transitions, cross-linking reactions, oxidative stability, decomposition behavior, specific heat, and many other material properties crucial for product development, manufacturing and testing. It is a widely used tool in various industries from pharmaceuticals, food industry, semiconductors, electronics, polymers, etc.

Heat flux and power compensation are the two measurement methods used for DSC analysis.

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Common Uses

• Drug–lipid interactions, the status of the lipid, and melting and recrystallization behaviors of the Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs)a
• Thermodynamics of nucleic acid-folding transitions (DNA and RNA)
• Evaluation of thermal reversibility of protein degradation
• Analysis of physicochemical transformation during starch gelatinization process
• Prediction of the storage life of food products
• Determination of oxidative stability, thermal degradation, and water loss in the sample
• Evaluation of eutectic point and construction of phase diagrams
• Determination of glass transition temperature (Tg) to determine the miscibility of biopolymer blends
• Determination of the cure behavior of thermoset monomers or oligomers
• Examining the effect of hardeners on the thermal properties of cured materials
• Determination of heat of fusion and extent of crystallization for the crystalline materials
• Estimation of the heat and degree of curing reaction, and residual cure

Advantages

• An easy and quick way to study the thermal transitions in the materials
• Can be used for a wide range of temperatures (−90 to 550 °C)
• A low-cost technique that requires a low amount of sample
• Sensitive identification of even a slightly weak phase transition

Limitations

• It is a destructive analysis technique, so heterogeneous materials might be challenging to analyze
• Does not detect the gas generation
• Can not provide elemental analysis
• Difficulty in the correct interpretation of the results when there is an overlapping of some phase transitions
• Constant mass of the sample is required throughout the test; evaporation or sublimation of the sample would result in inaccurate results

Industries

• Polymers and composites
• Membranes and Films
• Pharmaceuticals
• Biology
• Nanomaterials
• Food Science Research
• Semiconductors
• Electronics
• Drug delivery and diagnosis

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Laboratories

• EAG Laboratories Inc.
• Element Materials Technology
• ATS Applied Technical Servicess, Inc.
• Intertek
• Avomeen
• Particle Technology Labs
• Medallion Labs
• Innovatech Labs, LLC

More Details

• Working principle of DSC
• Uses of DSC
• Advantages and Limitations of DSC