Where can I run DSC or TGA on a sample?
DSC measures heat flow to find transitions such as glass transition, melting and cure; TGA measures mass change with temperature to estimate volatiles, polymer, filler and ash. Both are routine single-sample tests.
What the method covers
Polymers, pharmaceuticals, composites and inorganic materials; methods such as ASTM E1356 (Tg by DSC) and ASTM E1131 (compositional TGA).
Applicability caveats
- Heating rate, atmosphere and sample history change results — specify them.
- TGA mass loss does not identify what was lost; couple with FTIR or MS if needed.
- One DSC run may not distinguish blends.