CA1226455A - Assembly for concurrent thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis - Google Patents

Assembly for concurrent thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis

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Publication number
CA1226455A
CA1226455A CA000471980A CA471980A CA1226455A CA 1226455 A CA1226455 A CA 1226455A CA 000471980 A CA000471980 A CA 000471980A CA 471980 A CA471980 A CA 471980A CA 1226455 A CA1226455 A CA 1226455A
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Canada
Prior art keywords
sample
containers
active
samples
temperature
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000471980A
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French (fr)
Inventor
Shaheer A. Mikhail
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Canada Minister of Energy Mines and Resources
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Canada Minister of Energy Mines and Resources
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Priority to CA000471980A priority Critical patent/CA1226455A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1226455A publication Critical patent/CA1226455A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Abstract

Abstract:
A modification to thermogravimetric analysers with data acquisition devised to allow concurrent TG (thermo-gravimetry) and DTA (differential thermal analysis) measurements employs three samples mounted close to each other in a TG furnace. Two of the samples are active ones, i.e. of the material to be analysed, and the third is a reference sample of an inert material. The first active sample is suspended from the beam of a thermo-balance. The change in weight of this sample is recorded and plotted versus the temperature of the second active sample. The sample thermocouple and another identical thermocouple are placed in contact with crucibles containing the second active sample and the reference material, respectively. The differential temperature between the sample and the reference material is taken from the two identical thermocouples. The differential signal is amplified and plotted against the temperature of the second active sample. The two active samples are substantially identical to each other in geometry, i.e.
amount and shape.

Description

1226~55 Assembly for concurrent thermoqravimetry and differential thermal analysis Background of the Invention This invention relates to a thermal analysis system for concurrent thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis.
Thermogravimetry (hereinafter referred to as TUG) is a procedure whereby a sample of a substance to be analyzed is subjected to a controlled temperature program. Changes lo in the mass (weight) of the sample are detected and plotted against a steady temperature rise (dynamic TUG) and also, if desired, against time (at constant temperature, isothermal TUG).
Differential thermal analysis (hereinafter referred to as DATA), on the other hand, is essentially a qualitative method of comparing thermal changes in a sample of the substance under study with those in a sample of an inert reference substance, e.g. alumina. The two samples are subjected to the same temperature program, while the I actual temperatures of the samples are measured by fine thermocouples. Differential connection of the thermocouples provides an output signal representative of any exothermic or endothermic change taking place in the active sample. This value is also plotted against lZ26~55 temperature and, if desired, time. Another variable that can be introduced is the nature of the ambient atmosphere.
For example, different plots will be obtained for DATA
carried out in air or in an inert atmosphere such as argon.
Together, DATA and TUG constitute a powerful combination to provide valuable information about the thermal behavior of materials under various conditions and for the identification of substances.
Prior Art Correlation of the results of the two techniques has, however, always been questionable to some extent, due to unavoidable differences in experimental conditions.
Ideally, both techniques should be applied to the same sample at the same time, so-called simultaneous thermal analysis. See, for example US. patent 3,045,472 issued July 24, 1962 to F. Polka et at. The basic problem with simultaneous TG-DTA is that it is impossible to measure the temperature of the active sample without to some degree interfering with the measurement of its weight.
In an endeavor to minimize this problem, extremely fine wires have been taken from the thermocouples, the wire from the active sample leaving the system as close as possible to the fulcrum of the balance beam. Even so, the weight measurement is so delicate that total avoidance of interference with the weight measurement is difficult.
In practice, only a few thermal analysis systems designed to perform simultaneous measurements are actually available on the market and they are relatively expensive due to the complexity of construction necessary to minimize the interference problem sufficiently to achieve sensitivities comparable to those attainable with individual measure-mints. Such an instrument, STY*, is marketed by Netzsch-Geratebau GmbH of Sell, Germany and, as STY*, by Stanton Red croft Ltd., of London, England.

* Trade Mark lZ26455 A viable and simple alternative to simultaneous thermal analysis is concurrent thermal analysis in which DATA and TUG are conducted, at the same time, but on two separate active samples placed close to each other inside the reaction tube in the furnace. Although the measurements are done on two individual samples, correlation of the results is more acceptable, since both samples (with the same geometry) are subjected to the same thermal program and are exposed to the same conditions in the furnace, but without need for a thermocouple to be in contact with the sample being weighed. A description of a concurrent thermal analysis technique is contained in a paper by J. Chit published in Anal. Chum. 39(1967) pages 861-867.
Mr. Chit entitled his paper "Technique for Simultaneous Thermograviometric, Derivative Thermogravimetric, Differential Thermal, and Electrothermal Analyses."
Although he used the term "simultaneous," the technique Chit described employs two rather than one active sample of the material under study. See, for example, Chihuahuas Figure 3 which shows a quartz balance beam supporting a first sample for the TUG measurement, flanked by a pair of quartz tubes respectively containing a second active sample and a reference sample, together with thermocouples for the DATA measurement.
Another discussion of concurrent TUG - DATA measurements is contained in WOW. Wendlandt "Recent Instrument Developments" published as the Proceedings of the Workshop on the State-of-the-Art of Thermal Analysis held at NBS, Gaithersburg, MD, May 21-22, 1979: National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 580, 1980, pup 219-233.
summary of the Invention The present invention relates to improvements in concurrent TG-DTA.
More specifically, the invention consists of an assembly for concurrent TG-DTA measurements comprising 1226~SS

(a) a furnace for providing a controlled temperature program;
(b) three containers comprising crucibles substantially identical in size and shape to one another for respectively supporting a first active sample of a material to be analyzed, a second active sample of said material and a third reference sample of an inert material, said first and second samples being substantially identical to each other in amount and shape; (c) a balance beam for weighing a first of said containers supporting said first sample while located in the furnace and providing a first output signal representative of said weight; (d) means mounting a second and a third of said containers respectively supporting said second and third samples in the furnace in the vicinity of the first sample;
(e) a pair of thermocouples in contact with respective ones of said second and third containers; (f) circuit means for providing a second output signal representative of the differ-once in temperature of said second and third samples and for providing a third output signal representative of the temperature of the second sample; and (g) a data acquisition system connected to receive said output signals for plotting the first and third output signals against each other to provide a TUG measurement and for plotting the second and third output signals against each other to provide a DATA measure-mint; (h) wherein the balance beam, the thermocouples and the three containers are located in a reaction tube of the furnace closely surrounding the three containers, the balance beam and said means mounting the second and third containers all enter-in the tube from a single end thereof. The second signal is normally amplified to the level of detection of the data acquisition system, e.g. recorder, by using a do amplifier.
Brief Description of the Drawings The accompanying drawing is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment It is not believed necessary at this stage of the development of the art to illustrate or describe in detail the manner in which the weight of the active sample is determined for the TUG measurement. Suffice to say that in many practical respects, the present invention can be ~22645S

viewed as a modification to the Du Pont 951* TOGA
thermobalance made by Du Pont Company of Wilmington Delaware to render it capable of concurrent TG-DTA
operation, while adopting its basic balance beam structure and circuitry. Du Pont company also markets DATA equipment separately from their TUG equipment. This calls for the TUG
and DATA measurements to be carried out in separate furnaces, in contrast to the concurrent technique with which the present invention is concerned where the same furnace is used to heat the two active samples and one reference sample simultaneously. The present invention, in its theoretical aspects, may also be seen as a modification of the Chit disclosure discussed above.
In the accompanying drawing there is shown a platinum crucible l for holding a first active sample suspended by a platinum wire 4 from the end of a quartz balance beam 17. A pair of fixed thermocouple sheaths 9 and lo support platinum crucibles 2 and 3 for respectively holding a second active sample and a reference sample. These latter crucibles are mounted in ring-like ends of relatively heavy gauge platinum wires 5, 6 that are shielded by ceramic sheaths 7, 8 for most of their lengths and are wound at their other ends around the thermocouple sheaths 9, 10.
A pair of identical chromel-alumel thermocouples 11 and 12 is used. The crucibles 2, 3 are made with indentations in their bottom surfaces and rest on the beads of the respective thermocouples. This direct contact between the thermocouples and the crucibles provides a more accurate measurement of sample and reference temperatures in the TUG
measurement than when the thermocouple is located close to but not in contact with the TUG crucible. The latter is the conventional technique used to avoid interference with the sample being weighed.

*Trade Mark ~Z264~S

The assembly shown in the drawing will be located in a reaction tub 20 inside a conventional furnace 30 by which controlled heating rates can be obtained. It will be noted that the complete measuring assembly enters the furnace 30 from one end. This avoids the need to modify the end wall of the reaction tube 20, a principal difference from the design adopted by Wendlandt in the publication mentioned above.
The chrome wires 14, 16 of the two thermocouples are ~10 connected together and a differential signal is taken out across the two alumel wires 13, 15, to be amplified using a low noise do amplifier 50 and connected to a data acquisition system 70. This signal provides the basic data required for the DATA measurement. In addition, the two wires 13, 14 from the thermocouple 11 provide the output signal that indicates the temperature of the second active sample (the alumel wire 13 of thermocouple 11 may be connected to the data acquisition system across an electronic ice point or a thermal junction 60 for ambient temperature compensation). This signal defines the temperature that is to be plotted against the differential temperature in the DATA measurement and against the weight in the TUG measurement. The signal from a balance beam mechanism 40 represents the weight of the first active sample.
The Du Pont Company also markets a 1090* Thermal Analysis System that provides a microprocessor unit include in a digital temperature programmer, plotter, visual display, disk memory and data analyzer. Connection of the assembly shown in the accompanying drawing to such a unit will enable the TUG and DATA measurements to be analyzed, stored and displayed simultaneously. Preferably the TUG
and DATA values will be plotted together on the same sheet, since their abscissas are common, which facilitates comparison and assessment of the information that these * Trade Mark I

combined measurements represent. Specifically, the 1090 unit receives, records and, when desired, displays simultaneously 4 signals, namely time (t), temperature (T), weight (w) and the derivative (ow/ it). The latter signal has been provided by an analog circuit built into the TUG module, i.e. the 951 TOGA system referred to above.
With this module hooked up to the 1090 microprocessor, the derivative circuit is unused, since the derivative (ow/ it) is automatically calculated by the microprocessor.
Hence a port to the 1090 unit becomes available and can be used to introduce the DATA signal, an important practical advantage, because it avoids any need to modify the 1090 unit and any need to modify the 951 system other than as shown in the accompanying drawing, i.e. to add the DATA
samples (a second active sample and the reference sample) as well as a second thermocouple and a low-noise do amplifier.
To obtain meaningful data using this TG/DTA concurrent technique, it is essential to maintain the same geometry (amount and shape) for the samples. It has been found that using different geometries results in noticeable differences in the obtained results. Hence the three crucibles should be identical and the two sample crucibles should be filled with the same amount of active sample material.

Claims (2)

Claims:
1. Assembly for concurrent TG-DTA measurement comprising (a) a furnace for providing a controlled temperature program;
(b) three containers comprising crucibles substantially identical in size and shape to one another for respectively supporting a first active sample of a material to be analyzed, a second active sample of said material and a third reference sample of an inert material, said first and second samples being substantially identical to each other in amount and shape;
(c) a balance beam for weighing a first of said containers supporting said first sample while located in the furnace and providing a first output signal representative of said weight;
(d) means mounting a second and a third of said containers respectively supporting said second and third samples in the furnace in the vicinity of the first sample;
(e) a pair of thermocouples in contact with respective ones of said second and third containers;
(f) circuit means for providing a second output signal representative of the difference in temperature of said second and third samples and for providing a third output signal representative of the temperature of the second sample; and (g) a data acquisition system connected to receive said output signals for plotting the first and third output signals against each other to provide a TG measurement and for plotting the second and third output signals against each other to provide a DTA measurement;
(h) wherein the balance beam, the thermocouples and the three containers are located in a reaction tube of the furnace closely surrounding the three containers, the balance beam and said means mounting the second and third containers all entering the tube from a single end thereof.
2. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein said data acquisition system has an available port for receiving said second output signal in addition to standard ports for receiving the first and third output signals and a time signal.
CA000471980A 1985-01-11 1985-01-11 Assembly for concurrent thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis Expired CA1226455A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000471980A CA1226455A (en) 1985-01-11 1985-01-11 Assembly for concurrent thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000471980A CA1226455A (en) 1985-01-11 1985-01-11 Assembly for concurrent thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1226455A true CA1226455A (en) 1987-09-08

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN117907146A (en) * 2024-01-18 2024-04-19 上海迈振电子科技有限公司 Chip type synchronous thermal analyzer and synchronous thermal analysis method

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN117907146A (en) * 2024-01-18 2024-04-19 上海迈振电子科技有限公司 Chip type synchronous thermal analyzer and synchronous thermal analysis method

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