Thermal Analysis Systems
TGA/DSC are widely applied for the measurement of a material's mass loss (energy exchange) at elevated temperatures.
Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) is a method of thermal analysis in which the mass of a sample is measured over time as the temperature changes. The instrument continuously monitors the weight change that occurs as a sample is heated at a constant rate. As the temperature increases, various components of the sample are decomposed, and the weight percentage of each resulting mass change can be measured.
TGA measurement can be used to determine a material’s thermal stability and its fraction of volatile components by providing information about physical phenomena, such as phase transitions, absorption, adsorption and desorption, as well as chemical phenomena including chemisorption, thermal decomposition, and solid-gas reactions.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is an analytical technique used to study the thermal behavior of a material by measuring its heat uptake or release relative to a reference material under controlled temperature conditions. This method is particularly effective for characterizing phase transitions, such as melting, crystallization, or chemical reactions. The thermal behavior is due to a material's heat capacity exhibits characteristic changes during physical or chemical transitions.
In a typical DSC experiment, the sample is placed in a dedicated holder (aluminium pan), with another empty pan serving as a reference. Both the sample and reference are subjected to a controlled heating or cooling rate. The instrument continuously monitors the differential heat flow between them. This differential measurement provides detailed insights into the thermal properties and transition behaviors of the material.
Access and Operation
Internal (unimelb) users: Training and self-operation is the preferred option. Request via iLab Training Request.
External users: Fee-for-service is the preferred option. Submit Chem Node Analysis Requests via iLab Request Services.
Visit Chemistry Node Access and Operation for more details.
Training materials
Standard Operating Procedure (TG309) and SOP (DSC300)
Powerpoint slides for step-by-step software and instrument setup
TGA Walkthrough (TG309) and DSC Walkthrough (DSC300)
Contact and Location
Dr Alex Duan (Platform Manager) | Dr Yukie O'Bryan (Technical specialist)
School of Chemistry, Building 154, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010