Thermal & Surface Analysis
Thermal Analysis is a branch of materials science, where the properties of materials are considered as they change with temperature. A few techniques are normally used–these are recognized by the property being measured from one another: Dielectric thermal analysis (DEA), dielectric permittivity and loss factor. Types of Thermal Analysis: Differential Thermal Analysis, Dielectric Thermal Analysis, Dilatometer, Differential Calorimetry Scanning, Evolved Gas Analysis, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis, Laser Flash Analysis, Thermo-Mechanical Analysis, and Derivatography.
Surface Analysis is the use of chemical and physical microscopic probes which give information about a sample's surface region. (The word sample refers to any object, structure, apparatus or substance that is being studied). The sampled region may be the extreme top layer of atoms (the only true surface, for purists), or it may extend below the sample surface to several microns (millionths of a meter), depending on the technique employed. The analysis is done to provide information on such characteristics as the chemical composition, the level of trace impurities or the sampled region's physical structure or appearance. For researchers or manufacturers who need to understand the materials in order to verify a theory or make a better product, such information is crucial.