TGA (Thermogravimetry Analysis)
Shen Haiyan
8/20/15
New testing equipment - TGA (Thermogravimetry Analysis) was put in use.
With the investment in a TGA (Thermogravimetry Analysis) KRS created new possibilities to characterize, analyze and identify raw materials as well as rubber compounds (vulcanized and un-vulcanized).
In recent decades, TGA has been used increasingly for the quality control and assurance of raw materials and incoming goods as well as for failure analysis of finished parts, especially in the polymer processing industry. Various international standards describe the general principles of thermogravimetry for polymers (ISO 11358) or other specific applications, such as compositional analysis for rubber (ASTM D 6370).
With this equipment weight changes related to evaporation, decomposition or combustion can be quantified at and above ambient temperature up to an upper limit of 1100 °C.
Both liquid and solid materials, confined within an inert sample pan, can be analyzed, typical sample weights being at around 5 – 10 milligrams (resolution 0.1 μg).
TGA is a useful tool for examining thermal stability of materials as well as for compositional information. The temperature at which weight loss occurs is important for understanding how a material will hold up under extreme conditions. By exploiting various atmospheres within the instrument, it’s possible to determine how much carbon black and inorganic filler are present in a sample.
The TGA operates typically at ambient pressure with a selected gas atmosphere, particular inert gas (Nitrogen or Helium) and active gas (Air or Oxygen) as a purge media. Alternatively the gas can be changed during analysis having first an inert atmosphere and switching at a defined temperature (typically 550 °C) to a “combustion mode” using Oxygen as gas carrier. Beside the “gas mode” the equipment can also be run in a vacuum mode, especially useful to make evaporation processes better visible.
With this new investment KRS has created new possibilities regarding incoming inspection of raw materials as well as testing properties of final goods.