Specific applications of DSC:
The few notable specific applications of DSC are:
The output of a DSC experiment is a curve of heat flux versus temperature or time. There are two various conventions: exothermic reactions within the sample display along with a positive or negative peak. This curve could be used to compute enthalpies of transitions. This is completed through integrating the peak corresponding to a given transition. It could be displays in which the enthalpy of transition could be expressed using the subsequent equation:
?H = KA
where ?H is the enthalpy of transition, K is the calorimetric constant, and A is the area under the curve. A calorimetric constant will vary along with the instrument and could be determined through analyzing a well-characterized sample along with known enthalpies of transition.
Most of well known spectroscopic techniques of great value within the qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis are based on our ability to measure energy absorption or emission caused through transition from one energy state to another. The great potential of thermal spectroscopy for quantitative analysis was not realized in the past since of the absence of a suitable, fast scanning, the calibration run for the synthetic compounds and the base line methods used in the area measurement and could be used for the quantitative analysis of constituents present within the fiber blend.
Several materials could exist in two or more different crystal line forms. The chemical reactivity and physical properties of various forms vary often one to another. Technological handling needs one of the perfect suitable forms, therefore a phenomenon is of great importance in chemistry and conveniently studied through DSC.
DSC might also be used in the study of liquid crystals. As matter transitions among solid and liquid it frequently goes by a third state, that displays properties of both phases. That anisotropic liquid is known as a liquid crystalline or mesomorphous state. Using DSC, it is probable to observe the small energy changes in which occur as matter transitions from a solid to a liquid crystal and from a liquid crystal to an isotropic liquid.
DSC curves might also be used to evaluate puriting of a drug and polymer. This is possible since the temperature range over that a mixture of compounds melts is dependent on their relative amounts. This effect is because of a phenomenon known as freezing point depression that occurs while a foreign solute is added to a solution. (A Freezing point depression is what permits salt to de-ice sidewalks and antifreeze to keep your car running within the winter.) As a result, less pure compounds exhibit a broadened melting peak that begins at lower temperature than a pure compound. DSC is used hugely for examining polymers to check their purity and composition. Melting point and glass transition temperature for most polymers are available from standard compilations, and the method can show up possible polymer degradation by the lowering of the expected melting point, Tm. That depends on the molar mass of the polymer, and then lower grades will have lower melting points than expected.
Within pharmaceutical organization it is essential to have well-characterized drug compounds in order to define processing parameters. For example, if it is essential to deliver a drug in the amorphous form, it is desirable to process the drug at temperatures below those at that crystallization could occur. The above mentioned transition is well observed in DSC curve and used in industry regularly.