Differential thermal analysis

Differential thermal analysis (DTA) is a thermoanalytic technique that is similar to differential scanning calorimetry. In DTA, the material under study and an inert reference are made to undergo identical thermal cycles, (i.e., same cooling or heating programme) while recording any temperature difference between sample and reference. This differential temperature is then plotted against time, or against temperature (DTA curve, or thermogram). Changes in the sample, either exothermic or endothermic, can be detected relative to the inert reference. Thus, a DTA curve provides data on the transformations that have occurred, such as glass transitions, crystallization, melting and sublimation. The area under a DTA peak is the enthalpy change and is not affected by the heat capacity of the sample. A DTA consists of a sample holder, thermocouples, sample containers and a ceramic or metallic block; a furnace; a temperature programmer; and a recording system. The key feature is the existence of two thermocouples connected to a voltmeter. One thermocouple is placed in an inert material such as Al2O3, while the other is placed in a sample of the material under study. As the temperature is increased, there will be a brief deflection of the voltmeter if the sample is undergoing a phase transition. This occurs because the input of heat will raise the temperature of the inert substance, but be incorporated as latent heat in the material changing phase. It consist of inert environment with inert gases which will not react with sample and reference. Generally helium or argon is used as inert gas. In today's market most manufacturers don't make true DTA systems but rather have incorporated this technology into thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) systems, which provide both mass loss and thermal information. With today's advancements in software, even these instruments are being replaced by true TGA-DSC instruments that can provide the temperature and heat flow of the sample, simultaneously with mass loss.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related publications (4)

Related people (2)

Related concepts (6)

Related courses (5)

Related lectures (40)

Related MOOCs (2)

Soudage laser or-acier

Denis Favez

In jewelry manufacturing, joining dissimilar materials is usually achieved by brazing or soldering, in which the materials comprising the joint are heated to a suitable temperature in the presence of

EPFL2009

Peritectic solidification of Cu-Sn alloys

Frédéric Kohler

Many commercially important alloys such as Fe-C, Fe-Ni, Cu-Zn, Cu-Sn and Ti-Al exhibit peritectic transitions on solidification. In the two-solid phase region of peritectic metallic systems, a wide sp

EPFL2008

Application of single pan thermal analysis to Cu-Sn peritectic alloys

Michel Rappaz, Thomas Campanella, Shigeo Nakanishi

Single pan thermal analyses (SPTA) have been performed on Cu–14.5 wt.% Sn, Cu–21.3 wt.% Sn and Cu–26.8 wt.% Sn peritectic alloys. For this purpose, a SPTA assembly has been built and calibrated. As th

Elsevier2008

ME-464: Introduction to nuclear engineering

This course is intended to understand the engineering design of nuclear power plants using the basic principles of reactor physics, fluid flow and heat transfer. This course includes the following: Re

CIVIL-515: Flood and dam break waves

Le cours offre des méthodes de calcul hydraulique pour des problèmes d'écoulements non permanents tels que les crues, les vagues, et les ruptures de barrage. L'accent est mis sur la compréhension phys

CIVIL-210: Fluids mechanics (For GC)

Ce cours est une première introduction à la mécanique des fluides. On aborde tout d'abord les propriétés physiques des fluides et quelques principes fondamentaux de la physique, dont ceux de conservat

Sorption and transport in cementitious materials

Learn how to study and improve the durability of cementitious materials.

Cement Chemistry and Sustainable Cementitious Materials

Learn the basics of cement chemistry and laboratory best practices for assessment of its key properties.

Thermogravimetric analysis

Thermogravimetric analysis or 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. This measurement provides information about physical phenomena, such as phase transitions, absorption, adsorption and desorption; as well as chemical phenomena including chemisorptions, thermal decomposition, and solid-gas reactions (e.g., oxidation or reduction). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is conducted on an instrument referred to as a thermogravimetric analyzer.

Thermal analysis

Thermal analysis is a branch of materials science where the properties of materials are studied as they change with temperature.

Thermomechanical analysis

Thermomechanical analysis (TMA) is a technique used in thermal analysis, a branch of materials science which studies the properties of materials as they change with temperature. Thermomechanical analysis is a subdiscipline of the thermomechanometry (TM) technique. Thermomechanometry is the measurement of a change of a dimension or a mechanical property of the sample while it is subjected to a temperature regime. An associated thermoanalytical method is thermomechanical analysis.

Thermal Analysis: Techniques and Applications

Explores thermal analysis techniques like TGA, DTA, and DFC, used for studying material properties and phase changes.

Thermal Analysis Techniques

Explores thermal analysis techniques like TGA, DTA, and DSC for material characterization.

Characterization Approaches for Solid Materials

Covers fundamental characterization approaches for solid materials, focusing on elemental analysis, thermal analysis, microscopy, and neutron-based spectroscopies.