Theory and Applications of Modulated Temperature Programming to Thermomechanical Techniques

The application of modulated temperature programs to thermomechanical analysis can be used to separate the reversible nature of thermal expansion from irreversible deformation arising from creep under the applied load or changes in dimensions due to relaxation of orientation. The effect of experimental variables and calibration are described. Modulated temperature TMA allows the time-dependent nature of thermal expansivity to be studied. Measurements made under compression afford a means of measuring the thermal expansivity of soft specimens independently of initial load. Application of these principles to scanning thermal microscopy leads to a novel method of generating image contrast based upon local changes thermal expansivity of a specimen. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kinetics of Temperature-induced and Reaction-induced Phase Separation Studied by Modulated Temperature DSC

Temperature-induced phase separation of P(EO75-ran-PO25)/PES and reaction-induced phase separation of DGEBA/MDA modified with PVME are studied using MTDSC as an in-situ tool. Phase separation can be probed by the onset of an ‘excess’ contribution in the MTDSC heat capacity signal, in good correspondence with the cloud point temperature. This feature enables the complete construction of the state diagram of P(EO75-ran-PO25)/PES. The detection of phase separation-induced partial vitrification of the high-T_g phase (PES-rich phase) enables to sub-divide the LCST-type heterogeneous region in a zone 1 (no interference of partial vitrification) and a zone 2 (interference of partial vitrification of the PES-rich phase). This sub-division of the heterogeneous region has drastic implications on the remixing behavior of demixed blends. In DGEBA/MDA modified with PVME, reaction-induced phase separation accompanied by an increase in reaction rate, followed by a vitrification step of the epoxy-amine phase can be detected in-situ. In non-isothermal conditions, a diffusion-controlled reaction after vitrification and a final devitrification of the system is also observed.     

The Application of Modulated Temperature Power Compensation DSC to the Characterisation of Polymer Blends

A modulated temperature power compensated differential scanning calorimeter, MTDSC, has been built from a standard Perkin-Elmer DSC model-2 such that a computer generated voltage has been applied to induce a sinusoidal change in sample temperature superimposed on a linear heating rate. The effect of amplitude of the temperature fluctuation, modulation period and block temperature on the reversibility has been assessed from the Lissajous diagram of heat flow vs. sample temperature. From their reproducibility and symmetry the most effective conditions for operating the MTDSC has been deduced. The specific heat of sapphire has been measured using these operational conditions for comparison with conventional DSC. Phase separated blends of polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have been analysed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

聚乳酸-聚乙二醇单甲醚共混体系的调制DSC分析

采用调制差示扫描量热法(MDSC)研究了聚乳酸(PLA)与聚乙二醇单甲醚(MPEG)共混体系的热性能。研究结果表明,MDSC可有效分辨PLA重结晶和熔融的重叠效应,在测试条件下,PLA的α’-α晶型转变与α晶体的熔融几乎同时进行。随着升温速率的加快和调制周期的延长,当增塑剂的质量分数为15%时,PLA-MPEG共混物分割在不可逆曲线的重结晶焓逐渐升高(最高约28J/g),熔融焓逐渐降低(最低约为3.3J/g);分割在可逆曲线的熔融峰逐渐由多重峰变为单峰,且焓变值逐渐升高(最高约66.1J/g),相应的可逆曲线熔融分割比例达到了95.2%。通过提高升温速率和延长调制周期,可使大部分熔融分割在可逆曲线上,但过快的升温速率和过长的调制周期会导致PLA相转变时的周期数过少,DSC调制功能的分辨率下降,设置测试条件时需综合考虑。     

Reversibility of the low‐temperature transitions of polytetrafluoroethylene as revealed by temperature‐modulated differential scanning calorimetry

Temperature‐modulated differential scanning calorimetry reveals distinct differences in the kinetics of the low‐temperature phase transitions of polytetrafluoroethylene. The triclinic to trigonal transition at 292 K is partially reversible as long it is not complete. As soon as the total sample is converted, supercooling is required to nucleate the reversal of the helical untwisting involved in the transition. The trigonal phase can be annealed in the early stages after transformation with a relaxtion time of about 5 minutes. The dependence of the reversing heat capacity on the modulation amplitude, after a metastable equilibrium has been reached, is explained by a non‐linear, time‐independent increase of the heat‐flow rate, perhaps caused by an increased true heat capacity. The order‐disorder‐transition at 303 K from the trigonal to a hexagonal condis phase is completely reversible and time‐independent. It extends to temperatures as low as the transition at 292 K or even lower. Qualitatively, the thermal history and crystallization conditions of polytetrafluoroethylene do not affect the transition kinetics, that is, melt‐crystallized film and as‐polymerized powders show similar transition behaviors, despite largely different crystallinities. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 750–756, 2001     

Determination of the heatsetting temperature of polyester by TMA

The determination of the effective temperature of the thermal treatment applied to polyester substrates in the textile process has been broadly studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In this investigation, the authors have studied the possibilities of the thermomechanical analysis (TMA) as a method for the determination of this temperature. For this purpose, fabrics of polyester heatset in an industrial plant between 160 and 210°C, have been analyzed by DSC and TMA. The good results obtained show the possibilities of this technique for the determination of the effective temperature of a thermal treatment. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Influence of the Curing Temperature in the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Nanosilica Filled Epoxy Resin Coating

0.5–3 wt% nanosilica was added to an epoxy resin based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and cured at 25, 40 or 60 °C using isophoronediamine (IPDA) as hardener. Aggregates of nanosilica were properly dispersed into the DGEBA-IPDA resin and agglomerates formation was avoided. Addition of nanosilica increased the storage modulus E′ and the area and height of the tan δ curve of DGEBA-IPDA resin cured at 25 °C, but no significant differences were found by curing at higher temperature. Gel time measurements and the results obtained by applying the Kamal model to isotherm DSC curing of DGEBA-IPDA-nanosilica revealed that nanosilica catalysed the curing reaction between DGEBA and IPDA, in less extent by increasing the curing temperature.     

Temperature Control Modes in Thermal Analysis

Now we can use several temperature control modes, i.e., the isothermal run including stepwise heating and cooling, constant rate heating (or cooling), temperature control for sample thermal history, sample controlled thermal analysis (SCTA or controlled-rate thermal analysis, CRTA), temperature jump, rate jump, temperature modulation and repeated temperature scanning. Their advantages and drawbacks are reviewed with some illustrative examples, especially for application to kinetic analysis. The combined use of these varieties of temperature control mode is recommended by showing examples. Temperature modulation and repeated temperature scanning are discussed in comparison with temperature modulated DSC, and common and analogous points are elucidated. In relation to this, the possibility that an imaginary part of overall reaction rate constant in complex reaction is postulated. Finally,these modes are classified and tabulated from two viewpoints and other possible modes are shown. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermal Properties of N-ethyl-N-phenyl-Dithiocarbamates and Their Influence on the Kinetics of Cure

The thermal properties (in the temperature range of 100–250°C) of N-ethyl-N-phenyldithiocarbamatecomplexes of Zn(II), Co(III), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) and their influence on the kinetics of cure have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (in nitrogen). It was found that Zn(II), Co(III) and Pb(II) dithiocarbamates melted without further effects, while the melting of Ni(II) and Cu(II) dithiocarbamates is accompanied with decomposition. From the kinetic point of view, the dithiocarbamates decrease the values of the reaction order and the values of rate constants follow this order (with respect to the metal ion): Zn(II)<Cu(II)<Pb(II)<Ni(II)<Co(III).This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Applications of Micro-Thermal Analysis

Micro-thermal analysis combines the imaging facility of scanning probe microscopy with the ability to characterize, with high spatial resolution, the thermal behavior of materials. A sample may be visualized according to its surface topography and also its relative thermal conductivity. Areas of interest may then be selected and localized thermal analysis (TMA and modulated temperature DTA) performed. Applications of this new technique to study semiconductors, polymer blends and biological specimens are described. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermal characterization of polycarbonate/polycaprolactone blends

In this work, we prepared blends of bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) and poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PCL) in a wide composition range by melt mixing and solution mixing. Two different molecular weights of PCL were used (nominally, 10.000 g/mol, PCL10, and 80.000 g/mol, PCL80). The thermal behavior of both systems was studied via differential scanning calorimetry under dynamic and isothermal conditions. The blends were miscible in the entire composition range in the liquid and amorphous states, as indicated by the single glass‐transition temperature (T_g) exhibited by both the PC/PCL10 and PC/PCL80 blends. The compositional variation of the T_g was accurately described by the Fox equation for the PC/PCL80 blends, whereas slight deviations from this equation were exhibited by the PC/PCL10 blends. For blend compositions containing 40% or more PCL, either one or both blend components crystallized. Crystallization occurred during cooling from the melt or during subsequent heating in the form of cold crystallization. Although PCL crystallization was reduced and its crystallization rate decreased with the addition of PC, PCL was a very effective macromolecular plasticizer for PC, to the extent that crystallization during the scan was detected for some blend compositions. Isothermal crystallization experiments allowed the determination of equilibrium melting points (T) by the Hoffman–Weeks extrapolation method. A T depression was found for both PCL and PC components as the content of the other blend component was increased. The Avrami equation was closely obeyed by both blend components during the isothermal overall crystallization kinetics up to crystalline conversion degrees of 60–70% and with values of Avrami indices ranging from 3 to 4, depending on the crystallization temperature employed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 771–785, 2001     

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.     

A Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetric study

Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry^? has been applied to frozen sucrose solutions in the concentration range 10–80% w/w. The results from this study present, for the first time, information on the reversing and non-reversing nature of events that occur in these solutions. The study demonstrates the potential benefits of this new technique to help separate complex transitions that can occur in the total heat-flow curves obtained using traditional differential scanning calorimetry. The results illustrate how this new technique can separate the different enthalpic events, which relate to the glass transition and the onset of ice dissolution that occurs during the heating of these frozen systems, by nature of their “reversing” and “non-reversing” contributions to the total heat flow.     

Modulated‐temperature differential scanning calorimetry study of temperature‐induced mixing and demixing in poly(vinylmethylether)/water

The heat capacity or reversing heat flow signal from modulated‐temperature differential scanning calorimetry can be used to measure the onset of phase separation in a poly(vinylmethylether)/water mixture, clearly showing the special type III lower critical solution temperature demixing behavior. Characteristic of this demixing behavior is a three‐phase region, which is detected in the nonreversing heat flow signal. Stepwise quasi‐isothermal measurements through the phase transition show large excess contributions in the (apparent) heat capacity signal, caused by demixing/remixing heat effects on the timescale of the modulation (fast process). These excess contributions and their time‐dependent evolutions (slow process) are useful in understanding the kinetics of phase separation and the morphology (interphase) development. Care has to be taken, however, in interpreting the heat capacity signal derived from the amplitude of the modulated heat flow because nonlinear effects lead to the occurrence of higher harmonics. Therefore, the raw heat flow signal for quasi‐isothermal demixing and remixing measurements is also examined in the time domain. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1824–1836, 2003     

Temperature Calibration of TMAs Using Modulated Temperature and Curie Temperature Reference Standards

This article presents the concept of calibrating temperature in thermomechanical analyzers (TMA) using reference standard magnetic materials whose Curie temperatures are well-known. This concept has not been tested experimentally to the best of the author's knowledge. Electrical current applied to a unifilarly wound furnace results in the furnace acting as an electrical inductor. A magnetic material sample located within such a furnace practically constitutes a solenoid core. A modulated temperature program directly results in a corresponding varying force exerted by the sample against the TMA probe, if the probe's axis and the central induced magnetic field line of force are coaxial, and, furthermore, if the direction of the central magnetic field line of force and the expansion direction of the probe are identical. If a sample undergoes a Curie transition, then the force which the sample exerts against the probe will diminish to zero as the transition goes to completion. Using a modulated temperature program throughout this phase transition allows determination of transition completion, by observation of the point at which the force required to maintain the sample's physical position reaches a steady state from it's previously non-steady state. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

消旋卡多曲在空气中的热分解动力学

用热分析(TG/DTA/DSC)技术研究了消旋卡多曲(C₂₁H₂₁NO₄S)在空气中的热分解过程. 热分析结果表明, 消旋卡多曲在空气中一步分解, 其熔点为77.4 ℃. 用Friedman法, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO)法和ASTM E698法求取了分解过程的活化能E, 并通过多元线性回归法给出了可能的机理函数.     

Application of Temperature Modulated Relative Dilatometry. Temperatures of adhesion degradation

Application of temperature modulated dilatometry (TM DIL) to investigation on degradation of the adhesion between ceramic films and the substrate is presented. Layers of titanium nitride deposited by plasma assisted physical vapour deposition (PA PVD) methods on the Armco iron substrates were tested. This paper shows that the TM DIL method is helpful in determining the usefulness of the titanium nitride covering of the cutting tools and machine parts. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

用调制式差示扫描量热法表征尼龙6和聚乳酸升温热行为

用调制式差示扫描量热法(MDSC)表征尼龙6和聚乳酸升温过程热行为，MDSC把总热流分解成可逆热流ΔHrev和不可逆热流ΔHnon;实验结果表明纯尼龙及其共混体系升温熔融过程中包含了可逆放热峰；共混体系不同，可逆热流ΔHrev不同，都比纯尼龙小；纯尼龙可逆热流ΔHrev随调制周期延长而增大；聚乳酸玻璃化转变区，随老化时间的延长和老化温度的提高，玻璃化转变温度Tg提高，松弛热焓增大。     

Thermal denaturation of collagen analyzed by isoconversional method

An isoconversional method is proposed to be used for evaluating activation energy of protein denaturation. Applied to DSC data on collagen denaturation, the method yields an activation energy that decreases throughout the process. The Lumry-Eyring model gives an explanation for this decrease and affords estimates for the enthalpy of the reversible step and the activation energy of the irreversible step of denaturation. The reversible unfolding is detectable by multi-frequency temperature-modulated DSC.