Isothermal Microcalorimetry. Current problems and prospects

A brief survey is given of recent developments and current activities in isothermal microcalorimetry. The discussion focuses on new methods in areas where the techniques have proved to be particularly useful or are promising to be so, in a near perspective. Some problems and limitations with current methods are also discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

微量热法测定RE(Et2dtc)3(phen)配合物的比热容

A calculation formula for determining the specific heat capacity of solid compound with an improved RD496-Ⅲ microcalorimeter was derived. The calorimetric constant and precision determined by the Joule effect were （63.901±0.030）μV/mW and 0.3% at 298.15 K, respectively, and the total disequilibrium heat has been measured by the Peltier effect. The specific heat capacities of two standard substances （benchmark benzoic acid and α-Al2O3） were obtained with this microcalorimeter, and the differences between their calculated values and literature values were less than 0.4%. Similarly, the specific heat capacities of thirteen solid complexes, RE（Et2dtc）3（phen） （RE=La, Pr, Nd, Sm-Lu, Et2dtc： diethyldithiocarbamate ion, phen： 1,10-phenanthroline） were gained, and their total deviations were within 1.0%. These values were plotted against the atomic numbers of rare-earth, which presents tripartite effect, suggesting a certain amount of covalent character in the bond of RE^3＋and ligands, according to Nephelauxetic effect of 4f electrons of rare earth ions.     

用微量热法测定稀土含硫有机配合物的比热容

推导了用改进的RD496-III型微热量计测定固态物质比热容的计算式. 用Joule 效应确定了仪器在298.15 K时的量热常数和相对标准偏差分别为(63.901±0.030) μV•mW^－1和0.08%, 用Peltier效应测定总不平衡热. 在该仪器上测定的两种标准物质(基准苯甲酸和α-Al₂O₃)比热容的计算值与文献值相差在0.4%以内. 用本法测定了13种固态配合物RE(PDC)₃(phen) (RE＝La, Pr, Nd, Sm～Lu; PDC＝ )的比热容值, 总偏差在1.0%, 与稀土原子序数Z_RE作图呈现“三分组现象”, 说明配合物中RE^3＋与配体间的化学键有一定程度的共价性, 显示了稀土离子4f电子云的扩大效应.     

Characterization of Lactose Powder Surfaces by Isothermal Microcalorimetry

Several lactose samples containing various amounts of amorphicity were studied with an isothermal microcalorimetric technique, which allow to detect the heat and the quantity of water sorption simultaneously. As interaction with vapor is characteristic of different surfaces, the samples were easy to be discriminated from each other by studying sorption behavior. With the crystalline lactose samples, the amount of sorbed water was too minor to be detected reliably with the technique, but differences were found when the energy values (J g⁻¹) were compared. In the future work, the measurement set-up will be improved so that sorption rates less than 0.1 nmol s⁻¹ can be measured repeatably and reliably. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Isothermal microcalorimetric studies on starch retrogradation

In the present study, isothermal microcalorimetry was introduced as a tool to investigate properties of starch retrogradation during the first 24 h. The study was made on purified amylose and amylopectin from corn, as well as on native starches, such as wheat, potato, maize, waxy maize and amylomaize, differing in their amylose content. The results were obtained in the form ofP-t traces (thermal powervs. time), and integration of these traces gave a net exothermic enthalpy of reaction, caused by the crystallization of amylose and amylopectin. TheP-t traces reflected the quantities of amylose and amylopectin in the starch studied. Depending on the amylose content and the botanical source of the starch, the rate of crystallization of amylose was high and predominated over that of amylopectin during the first 5–10 h. The contribution from amylose crystallization to the measured exothermic enthalpy was very substantial during this period. After 10 h, amylose crystallized at a lower constant rate. During the first 24 h, amylopectin crystallized at a low steady rate. The exothermic enthalpies obtained by the isothermal microcalorimetric investigations during the first 24 h of retrogradation were generally low in relation to the endothermic melting enthalpies observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements after 24 h of storage. The discrepancies in enthalpy values between the two methods are discussed in relation to phase separation and the endothermic effects owing to the decrease in polymer-water interactions when polymer-rich regions in the starch gel separate. Besides the exothermic enthalpies obtained, theP-t traces also made it possible to study the initial gelation properties of amylose from different botanical sources. The present study further demonstrated that isothermal microcalorimetry can provide a possible way to investigate the antistaling effect of certain polar lipids, such as sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) and 1-monolauroyl-rac-glycerol (GML), when added to starches of different botanical origin. The net exothermic heat of reaction for starch retrogradation during the first 24 h was decreased when GML or SDS was added to the starch gels. The recordedP-t traces also showed how the effect of the added lipid influenced different periods during the first 24 h of starch retrogradation, and that the effect depended mainly on the amylose content, the botanical source of the starch, and the type of lipid used. When GML or SDS was added to waxy maize, the isothermal microcalorimetric studies clearly indicated some interaction between amylopectin and the polar lipids. These results concerning the action of anti-staling agents are further discussed in relation to the helical inclusion complexes formed between amylose-polar lipid and amylopectin-polar lipid.The authors thank Eva Qvarnström at the Dept. of Thermochemistry and Eva Tjerneld at the Dept. of Food Technology for valuable practical assistance. Financial support was obtained from the Swedish Council for Forestry and Agricultural Research (SJFR) and the Swedish Farmer's Foundation for Agricultural Research (Stiftelsen Lantbruksforskning).     

Towards More Specific Information From Isothermal Microcalorimetric Measurements on Living Systems

Calorimetry is an important thermodynamic and analytical method for investigations of living systems. The non-specific nature of calorimetry can be of advantage in such work, but will also make it difficult to interprete the results in sufficient detail. It is therefore of interest to combine calorimetry with specific analytical techniques. Work in this area is discussed with reference to the use of isothermal microcalorimetry for the characterization of living cellular systems in the pharmaceutical industry.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Specific heat capacities of pure triglycerides by heat-flux differential scanning calorimetry

The specific heat capacities of some triglycerides commonly found in palm oil were determined with a heat-flux differential scanning calorimeter. The specific heat capacity measurements were made under the optimum operating conditions determined earlier: scan rate 17 deg·min^?1, sample mass 21 mg and purge gas (nitrogen) flow rate 50 ml/min. Pure triglycerides (four simple and four mixed) were used in the experiments. The four simple triglycerides were trilaurin, trimyristin, tripalmitin and tristearin, and the mixed triglycerides were 1,2-dimyristoyl-3-oleoyl, 1,2-dimyristoyl-3-palmitoyl, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-oleoyl and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-palmitoyl. The results of this study are compared with literature values and also with values obtained by using estimation methods. The experimental specific heat capacities are within ±1% precision with a 95% confidence level.     

等温微量热法在生命科学研究中的应用

简要介绍了等温微量热法的原理、典型的仪器及其在生命科学研究中应用所具有的特点。通过它可获得完整的细胞代谢过程产热曲线及其热动力学方程；可以研究细胞器的代谢规律；可以获取生物大分子与小分子相互作用的热动力学特征。     

Determination of the Rigorous Transfer Function of An Isothermal Titration Microcalorimeter with Peltier Compensation

An old problem in Isothermal Titration Calorimetry is the accurate characterisation of the instrument, i.e. the determination of the instrumental transfer function. Normally, this calibration is performed electrically or through well known chemical reactions, but the transfer function parameters obtained by both methods generally do not agree: the first method normally yields smaller time constants than the second one. This fact is explained by the different path the heat flux takes towards the thermal sink. However, the time constants must be independent of the experiment type (electrical or chemical). In order to attain this independency, a realistic physical model of the system is developed taking into account the different heat sources and the paths in the system and using physically attainable (experimental and theoretical) inputs for testing the model. Important results from the model study are that the instrument is represented by different transfer functions, depending on the heat source location, and that the time constants are the same, regardless of the heat source location. A very simple and fast method based on such non-phenomenological physical model for obtaining the transfer function of an Isothermal Titration Microcalorimeter is applied here.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Combination of Silica Sol and Potassium Silicate via Isothermal Heat Conduction Microcalorimetry

Isothermal heat conduction microcalorimetry was utilized as a novel characterization method to investigate the polymerization processes of silica with both thermodynamic and kinetic parameters when the combination of silica sol and potassium silicate was stirred at temperatures of 25.0, 35.0, and 45.0°C. The silica polymerization was characterized by the greater enthalpy change at each higher temperature and by the reaction orders of the silica sol and potassium silicate, which varied rapidly, instantaneously, and constantly from low to high all the time, up and down in an alternate manner. When the reaction order of the silica sol and potassium silicate was 3.0, the maximum rate constant occurred at 25.0°C (k=1.22×10^?4mol^?2·dm⁶·s^?1). The two temperature regions (25.0–35.0°C region with a faster rate and 35.0–45.0°C region with a lower rate) reflected a two‐stage oligomerization of silica monomers with different oligomers formed in a two‐step anionic mechanism. The measurements of particle size and pH value showed that the colloidal particles in the mixed silica sol and potassium silicate first dissolved, then "active" silica in the potassium silicate redeposited to make a distinct particle size distribution (Z‐average size, 33.0–14.9 nm at 25.0°C) influenced both by pH value (9.82–11.97 at 25.0°C) and the mass fraction (53, 65, 75, and 85 mass/%) of the silica sol in the mixture. The processes of combination of the silica sol and potassium silicate did not result from acid‐base neutralization reactions but from a complex polymerization of the "active" silica components which relate to silica monomers oligomerization with heat evolved (the total enthalpy changes, 1.6234–3.3882 J).     

牛血清蛋白在盐酸胍和尿素体系中变性的微量热研究

在30 ℃时用恒温微量热法研究了不同pH值下盐酸胍、尿素诱导牛血清蛋白变性的过程. 并用Privalov提出的简单键合模型对量热数据进行了分析, 计算了表观键合常数K, 简单键合的单个表观键合自由能ΔG和总吉布斯能ΔG(a), 用变性中点的直线外推方法求出了表观变性焓ΔH_d. 实验结果表明, 牛血清蛋白与盐酸胍的键合在碱性条件下更易进行, 牛血清蛋白在盐酸胍溶液中的变性焓ΔH_d在牛血清蛋白的pH＝6.97和7.05时为350 kJ•mol^－1, 在pH＝9.30时为275 kJ•mol^－1, 表明牛血清蛋白在接近中性时较稳定. 而牛血清蛋白与尿素的键合在酸性条件下更易进行, 此变性焓ΔH_d在牛血清蛋白的pH＝6.97时为295 kJ•mol^－1, 在pH＝7.05和9.30时为230 kJ•mol^－1. 此结果说明牛血清蛋白在两种变性剂溶液中的展开程度是不同的.     

Isothermal crystallization of concentrated amorphous starch systems measured by modulated differential scanning calorimetry

The slow isothermal crystallization of concentrated amorphous starch systems is measured by Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MDSC). It can be followed continuously by the evolution (stepwise decrease) of the MDSC heat capacity signal (Cp), as confirmed with data from X-ray diffractometry, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and conventional Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Isothermal MDSC measurements enable a systematic study of the slow crystallization process of a concentrated starch system, such as a pregelatinized waxy corn starch with 24 wt % water and 76 wt % starch. After isothermal crystallization, a broad melting endotherm with a bimodal distribution is observed, starting about 10°C beyond the crystallization temperature. The bulk glass transition temperature (T_g) decreases about 15°C during crystallization. The isothermal crystallization rate goes through a maximum as a function of crystallization time. The maximum rate is characterized by the time at the local extreme in the derivative of Cp (t_max), or by the time to reach half the decrease in Cp (t_1/2). Both t_max and t_1/2 show a bell-shaped curve as a function of crystallization temperature. The temperature of maximum crystallization rate, for the system studied, lies as high as 75°C. This is approximately 65°C above the initial value of T_g. Normalized Cp curves indicate the temperature dependence of the starch crystallization mechanism. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2881–2892, 1999     

Kinetics of Isothermal Crystallization of the Thermotropic Polyester Poly(ethylethylene-4,4-diphenoxyterephthalate)

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to study the isothermal kinetics of three-dimensional ordering formation from the mesophase of the thermotropic polyester poly(ethylethylene-4,4-diphenoxyterephthalate). An Avrami exponent of 4 was found and the measured rates of transformation were related with the efficiency of packing. A nucleation and growth process was assumed in the determination of the temperature coefficient, and the interfacial free energies are discussed in terms of the chain flexibility. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

煤焦分形维数及其对比热容的影响研究

比热容是煤炭热物理性质之一,在煤矿的矿井防火、防止煤与瓦斯突出、井下降温设计及煤炭加工利用(如煤炭的燃烧、气化、焦化、液化等)等方面是关键参数之一,对提高煤炭热能利用率、提高经济效益、减少环境污染等,具有非常重要的意义。比热容的影响因素很多,如煤化程度、水分质量分数、热解温度等,煤焦微观结构的影响也是其中很重要的一方面。分形几何由Mandelbrot 1982年创立,是定量描述自相似或自相关等不规则形体的工具。研究表明,煤焦微观结构具有分形特征。在煤焦分形的研究中,常用的实验技术方法为吸附法、小角度X射线散射法和孔度法,采用扫描电子显微镜和数字图象处理方法研究煤焦的分形结构,能更加深入地理解其分形维数与性能的关系。     

Isothermal DSC investigation of the kinetics of thermooxidative decomposition of some edible oils

The thermooxidative decompositions of some edible oils were investigated. Isothermal measurements of convention were made with a Du Pont differential scanning calorimeter. Linseed oil, castor oil, olive oil and cod-liver oil were investigated.

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Zusammenfassung Unter Einsatz der isothermen Methode wurden kinetische Untersuchungen der thermooxidativen Zersetzung einiger Speiseöle durchgeführt. Zur Bestimmung des Umwandlungsgrades wurde ein DS-Kalorimeter von DuPont eingesetzt. Grundlage der Untersuchung bildeten Leinöl, Rizinusöl und Olivenöl.

     

Isothermal cis-trans isomerization behavior of polyacetylene films

Isothermal cis-trans isomerization behavior was studied by differential scanning calorimetry for conventional Shirakawa polyacetylene (S-PA) film and highly stretchable polyacetylene (hs-x) films synthesized using catalysts aged at high temperature. The rate of isomerization is slower for S-PA than for hs-x. Kinetic results of isomerization are analyzed by a stretched exponential function with exponent n (0 < n < 1), which is different from the previously assumed single exponential function. An activation energy of 31 kcal/mol was obtained for all the samples. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Evaluation of the Compatibility of EPDM and IIR I. Specific heat capacity

The thermal effect of mixing of EPDM and IIR was studied by differential scanning calorimetry over the temperature range between 335 and 435 K. O'Neill's method was used for calculating the specific heat capacity with alumina as standard. The greater the butyl rubber content, the lower the heat capacity. The presence of butyl rubber induces a marked thermal instability because of isobutylene units. It is possible that a rearrangement occurs in the molecular sequence, accompanied by secondary reactions involving free radicals. The contribution of each component to the cP of the tested polymeric systems is discussed. Differences between theoretical and experimental specific heat capacities increase as the operation temperature is raised. The relationship between the contributions of the two components to the specific heat capacity values of mixtures can be described by a first order equation, named the law of reciprocal thermal affinity. This aspect can be ascribed to the interaction of various reacting entities, which form certain units with low molar heat capacity. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Interaction of Stratum Corneum Components With Benzalkonium Chloride. Isothermal titration calorimetric study

The interactions of benzalkonium chloride (BC)with components of stratum corneum, a model system of intercellular lipids in human stratum corneum and homogenized rat stratum corneum were characterized in terms of thermodynamics at pH 7.5 and 37°C. BC was strongly bound to cholesterol and cholesterol sulfate with higher affinities (10⁵~10⁶ M^-1) than to any other components of the stratum corneum by hydrophobic interaction and ionic interaction, respectively. BC binding to the model system of intercellular lipids significantly decreased only in the absence of cholesterol. It is indicated that cholesterol and its derivatives play an important role in the penetration and/or accumulation of BC in stratum corneum. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

微量热法研究γ-Mo2N催化剂表面氢的微分吸附热

近年来,人们发现高比表面积的过渡金属氮化物催化剂,尤其是γＮｏ2Ｎ催化剂对一些涉及加氢的反应,如ＣＯ加氢、乙烷氢解及加氢精制等反应呈现出优良的催化活性[1-7],因而成为多相催化领域研究的前沿课题之一.γＮｏ2Ｎ是体积较小的Ｎ原子嵌入金属Ｍｏ原子的间隙位而形成的一种“间充化合物”.由于非金属原子的价电子参与成键,故对金属原子的4ｄ能带和费米能级产生影响;反映在晶体结构上,γＮｏ2Ｎ不仅具有Ｐｄ,Ｐｔ,Ｒｈ,Ｉｒ的面心立方(ｆｃｃ)结构,而且在一些催化加氢反应中,具有贵金属Ｐｄ,Ｐｔ等催化剂的特征[8].Ｈ2ＴＰＤ研究结果发现,…     

Improved conditions for measurement of the specific heat capacities of pure triglycerides by differential scanning calorimetry

Reproducible specific heat capacities (C _p) of triglycerides can be obtained by using heat-flux DSC under improved operating conditions. The improved operating parameters, such as the scanning rate, the sample mass and the atmosphere within the DSC chamber, were established via statistical analysis of the experimental data with trilaurin as a sample. The specific heat capacity results on trilaurin were compared with the values calculated by using estimation methods. The precision of the specific heat capacity measured for trilaurin under these conditions was within ±1%.