TG studies of a composite solid rocket propellant based on HTPB-binder

Thermal decomposition kinetics of solid rocket propellants based on hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene-HTPB binder was studied by applying the Arrhenius and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa's methods. The thermal decomposition data of the propellant samples were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG) at different heating rates in the temperature range of 300-1200 K. TG curves showed that the thermal degradation occurred in three main stages regardless of the plasticizer (DOA) raw material, the partial HTPB/IPDI binder and the total ammonium perchlorate decompositions. The kinetic parameters E _a (activation energy) and A (pre-exponential factor) and the compensation parameter (S _p) were determined. The apparent activation energies obtained from different methods showed a very good agreement. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

差示扫描量热法测定咔唑-9-乙基氯甲酸酯的热动力学参数

利用差动热分析仪测得新合成的咔唑 9 乙基氯甲酸酯(CEOC)的差示扫描量热曲线,利用普适积分法和微分方程法逻辑选择确定了CEOC的相变和热分解过程的最可几机理函数,并计算出相应的指前因子和活化能.     

Thermal degradation kinetics of g-HA/PLA composite

Thermal degradation behaviors of a composite constituted by poly(l-lactide) (PLA) and hydroxyapatite nanoparticle that was surface-grafted with l-lactic acid oligomer (g-HA) in a nitrogen atmosphere were studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and compared with PLA. The kinetic models and parameters of the thermal degradation of PLA and the g-HA/PLA composite were evaluated by the invariant kinetic parameters (IKP) method and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) method based on a set of TGA data obtained at different heating rates. It was shown that the conversion functions calculated by means of the IKP method depend on a set of kinetic models. The g-HA particle slowed down the thermal degradation of PLA polymer matrix.     

Thermal Behavior of Hexogen Phlegmatized with Montan Waxes

Hexogen can be used pressed only if its crystals are covered by some polymeric material [1], either natural or artificial. Montan waxes, as natural polymeric materials, were used for the phlegmatization. The melting process of seven types of waxes was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. The thermal decomposition processes of hexogens and phlegmatized hexogens were investigated by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic thermogravimetric analyses. Kinetic parameters of the decomposition processes of hexogens were evaluated by using data obtained from differential scanning calorimetric curves. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

DSC studies of solid polymeric electrolytes

Relations are demonstrated between the conductivity, phase structure and thermal history of some solid polymeric electrolytes. The results obtained for systems based on commercially available polymers, e.g. (ethylene oxide), and for specially synthesized materials are presented. Special emphasis is placed on the correlation between the crystallinity, glass transition temperature, melting temperature and conduction properties of the polymeric electrolytes.This work was supported financially by the Rector of Warsaw University of Technology according to research program 503/164/220/1.     

Detection of degradation of ABS materials via DSC

ABS is a well-known and widely-used rigid engineering polymer. The mechanical properties of ABS are critical to its proper functioning in a given application, such as a medical device. It is therefore important to retain those properties during processing, fabrication, and use. To that end, thermal analysis and mechanical testing were employed to understand the origin of observed mechanical property losses. Oxidation onset temperature (OOT) testing and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated a slightly lower onset temperature and a higher glass transition temperature, respectively, for parts which demonstrated a reduction in mechanical properties. It is also demonstrated that degradation of the butadiene-phase of the ABS is responsible for the mechanical property reduction, and that this degradation only proceeds at an appreciable rate at elevated temperatures in the presence of oxygen.     

DSC study on the effect of isocyanates and catalysts on the HTPB cure reaction

The urethane forming cure reactions of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binder with three different isocyanate curatives, viz., toluene diisocyanate (TDI), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 4,4-methylene bis(cyclohexyl isocyanate) (MCHI), were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of two cure catalysts, viz., dibutyl tin dilaurate (DBTDL) and ferrric tris-acetylacetonate (FeAA) on the cure reactions was also studied. Cure kinetics was evaluated using the multiple heating rate Ozawa method. The reactivities of the three isocyanates and catalytic efficiencies were compared based on the DSC reaction temperatures, activation energies and rate constants. Viscosity build-up in these systems at isothermal temperature was also studied and compared with the results from DSC.     

Heat capacities of a series of terminal linear alkyldiamides determined by DSC

Molar heat capacities of twelve linear alkane-α,ω-diamides H₂NOC-(CH₂)_(n-2)-CONH₂, (n=2 to 12 and n=14) were measured by differential scanning calorimetry at T=183 to 323 K. Heat flow rate calibration of the Mettler DSC 30 calorimeter was carried out by using benzoic acid as reference material. The calibration was checked by determining the molar heat capacity of urea in the same temperature range as that of measurements. The molar heat capacities of alkane-α,ω-diamides increased in function of temperature and fitted into linear equations. Smoothed values of C _p,m at 298.15 K displayed a linear increase with the number of carbon atoms. The C _p,m contribution of CH₂ group was (22.6±0.4) J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, in agreement with our previous results concerning linear alkane-a,ω-diols and primary alkylamides as well as the literature data on various series of linear alkyl compounds. On leave from the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Craiova, Calea Bucureşti 165, Craiova 1100, Romania     

Calculation of smoothing factors for the comparison of DSC results

Complex mixtures of long chain organic compounds often show overlapping glass transition temperatures (T _gs) when analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) or modulated DSC (MDSC). In such cases, subjective and inconsistent smoothing of data acquired under different conditions can lead to the misinterpretation of results. A quantitative method for the selection of smoothing factors for the analysis and comparison of (M)DSC results is presented. The method is most useful for the analysis of the derivative of the heat capacity, dC _p/dt or dC _p/dT, plots which best highlight overlapping T _gs. Four equations are shown to relate the heating rate and the smoothing factor. The equations allow a comparison of data acquired i) at different heating rates and plotted vs. temperature, ii) at a single heating rate and plotted vs. both time and temperature, i.e., dC _p/dt vs. dC _p/dT, iii) at different heating rates and plotted vs. both time and temperature, and iv) at different heating rates, and shown exclusively in the time domain. Examples of the use of the equations are provided for the analysis of bitumen, a complex mixture of natural origin.     

Comparison of the Activation Energies as Determined by DSC and by Conventional Methods

The results of determination of activation energies (E_A) of polymeric cable insulations obtained by conventional methods (usually based on the evaluation of changes of mechanical properties of insulations after their ageing in thermal chamber at different temperatures) have been compared with results obtained by methods employing the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Three DSC methods have been tested: the method according the ASTM E 698; measuring of DSC characteristics in the isothermal mode at several different temperatures; and the method based on evaluation of DSC characteristics of insulations after their thermal ageing in thermal chamber. The last method — which can be called as a modified conventional method, because instead of mechanical properties, the DSC characteristics are determined — has been found as most acceptable and giving similar values of E_A as the other conventional methods. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ageing Monitoring of Plastics Used in Nuclear Power Plants by DSC

Degradation of polymeric materials used in nuclear power plants (NPP), especially polymeric cable insulation materials, in the course of their service can be monitored by measuring their properties by DSC, mainly oxidative induction time — OIT. The studied materials were in-laboratory aged by applying main stressors that act in NPP — ionising radiation and temperature. The dependence of OIT on radiation and thermal degradation of polymeric material was determined. The OIT values have been compared to elongation at break as a property that directly reflects the functionality of the studied material. The comparison of monitored OIT of real cable samples taken from NPP with dependencies on how the OIT values change with the elongation at break, makes possible to establish the extent of cable degradation. This method can be considered as a suitable and effective technique for lifetime assessment not only of cable insulations but also of many other plastics. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

DSC Analysis of foodborne bacteria

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is applicable to studying the thermal properties of bacteria when treated with heat, cold, or antibiotics. Foodborne pathogens are inactivated by heat, and denaturation transitions observed by DSC indicate potential sites of cellular injury. Ribosomes, which are the sites for messenger RNA translation, are one critical component of thermal damage as evidenced by characteristic denaturation transitions in the 66-74°C range. These transitions disappear when cells of Clostridium perfringens are subjected to heat, suggesting structural or conformational changes to ribosomal proteins, and when cells of Listeria monocytogenes are cold-shocked by refrigeration, indicating ribosomal dissociation. DSC can be used to show that refrigeration followed by heat treatment improves the killing of dangerous microorganisms.     

Evaluation of thermodynamic properties of irreversible protein thermal unfolding measured by DSC

Summary We assessed the applicability of the extrapolation procedure at infinite scanning rate to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data related to irreversible protein unfolding. To this aim, an array of DSC curves have been simulated on the basis of the Lumry-Eyring model N↔U→F. The results obtained confirmed that when the apparent equilibrium constant K_{app (T=T1/2)} is lower than 3, the application of the extrapolation procedure provides accurate thermodynamic parameters. Although this procedure applies only to monomeric proteins for which the Lumry-Eyring model is a reasonable approximation, it will hopefully contribute to increase the potential of DSC in obtaining reliable thermodynamic information regarding the folding/unfolding equilibrium.     

Accurate Measurement of Transformation Energetics and Specific Heat by DSC in the High-temperature Region

A new differential scanning calorimeter NETZSCH model DSC 404 C Pegasus was developed for the measurement of specific heat and transformation energetics. The system allows tests between -120 and 1650°C with high accuracy. Presented in this work are the design of the DSC and measurements on various kinds of materials such as ceramics and metals, demonstrating the capability of the new system at low temperatures as well as in the high-temperature region. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Measuring the extent of phase separation during polymerization of composite latex particles using modulated temperature DSC

The morphological features of composite latex particles predominantly develop during the polymerization process and depend upon a significant number of variables. In this study, we have concentrated on the relative polarities of the two polymers in the particles and the rate at which we added the monomers during semibatch reactions containing the seed polymer latex. Our particular interest was to develop data that could reveal the extent of polymer phase separation as a function of the amount of monomer fed, and to characterize the morphology resulting from it. While TEM is the most common analytical technique employed, we show in this paper that modulated temperature DSC can generate data that allows us to follow the phase separation process as the monomer feed progresses. By considering the possibilities of having “phases” within the particles of pure polymer, homogeneously mixed (but nonequilibrium) polymers, gradient and interfacial polymer, we have been able to quite successfully simulate the DSC data. This results in quantitative estimates of the relative amounts of these “phases” and their polymer compositions. Combining these results with TEM photos showing the spatial characteristics of the morphology, we can achieve a much greater understanding of the physical structure of the composite latex particles. In many cases we find that phase separation is far from complete at the end of the reaction process. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2790–2806, 2005     

Characterisation of different inulin samples by DSC: Influence of polymerisation degree on melting temperature

Melting behaviour of powder inulin has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. DSC curves show two endothermic peaks, relative to water elimination and to inulin melting, respectively. The second peak is dependent on inulin type and a shift to a higher temperature is observed with increasing average polymerisation degree (DP) of the sample. For similar crystallinity index, linear relations have been underlined and so predicting inulin mean DP can be done by DSC analysis. The study shows that a relatively high heating rate (25°C min^–1) can be used and brings a supplementary interest by an important reduction of analysis time.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

DSC Analysis of the Induction Period in the Vulcanisation of Rubber Compounds

Vulcanisation of rubber compounds was studied by DSC under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. The parameters of an Arrhenius-like equation describing the temperature dependence of induction period have been obtained both from isothermal and non-isothermal measurements. A new method for obtaining the kinetic parameters from non-isothermal measurements, based on the dependence of onset temperature of vulcanisation peak on heating rate, is presented. Also, a procedure for the evaluation of temperature difference between the furnace and sample is proposed. It has been shown that the treatment of non-isothermal DSC measurements gives the kinetic parameters free of systematic errors. The new method can also be used for studying other reactions exhibiting the induction period. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Changes in Chemical Composition of Flaxseed Oil during Thermal-Induced Oxidation and Resultant Effect on DSC Thermal Properties

To investigate the changes in chemical composition of flaxseed oil during thermal-induced oxidation and the resultant effect on thermal properties, samples with different oxidation levels were obtained by being heated at 180 °C for two hours and four hours. The oxidation degree was evaluated using peroxide value (PV), extinction coefficient at 232 nm and 268 nm (K₂₃₂ and K₂₆₈), and total polar compounds (TPC). Using chromatography, the fatty acid profile and triacylglycerol (TAG) profile were examined. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the crystallization and melting profiles. Thermal-induced oxidation of flaxseed oil led to a significant increase (p < 0.05) in PV, K₂₃₂, K₂₆₈, and TPC, but the relative content of linolenic acid (Ln) and LnLnLn reduced dramatically (p < 0.05). TPC derived from lipid degradation affected both crystallization and melting profiles. Statistical correlations showed that the onset temperature (T_on) of the crystallization curve was highly correlated with K₂₃₂, TPC, and the relative content of LnLnLn (p < 0.05), whereas the offset temperature (T_off) of the melting curve was highly correlated with the relative content of most fatty acids (p < 0.05). This finding provides a new way of rapid evaluation of oxidation level and changes of chemical composition for flaxseed oils using DSC.     

Thermal behaviour of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane with epoxy resin cured by diamines

A new material belongs to the family of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes, the 1-(3-glycidyl) propoxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-isobutylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1(3,9).1(5,15).1(7,13)]octasiloxane (glycidylisobutyl-POSS) is characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and atomic force microscopy. Epoxy systems based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) cured with the diamines, 4,4'-diamine-diphenylmethane (DDM) and 1,4-phenylenediamine (pPDA), were kinetically studied by differential scanning calorimetry in isothermal and dynamic modes. The thermal behaviour of these systems as the glycidylisobutyl-POSS was added, is discussed later. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.