Heat Exchange Elements in Sample Cells for Thermal Analysis

Abstract

It is a basic assumption of micro calorimetric DTA and DSC tests that the temperature is homogeneous in the entire sample volume during the test. When using high heating rates or when investigating highly exothermic processes with high activation energy (highly energetic materials) this assumption may not be correct. This paper deals with the elimination of temperature inhomogeneity in DTA and DSC sample cells by using heat exchange elements inside the cell. With this principle the thermal kinetics can be recorded even for highly exothermic processes with high activation energy, without signal distortion.