DSC is an excellent tool for the analysis of phase transitions in materials. It can quickly and easily measure the temperatures at which melting and crystallization processes, and solid-solid and liquid crystal transitions occur. The results are displayed as exothermic or endothermic peaks in so-called DSC curves or thermograms. On the basis of the DSC curves alone, one does not of course know how the thermal events relate to the structure of the material. To obtain this information requires the use of an optical display system.
Hot-stage microscopy is a technique that is widely used for the characterization of thermal transitions. The possibility of directly observing the morphological change of the sample as it is heated makes it much easier to interpret the DSC curve in question. Changes in the shape and structure of crystals are seen as well as their size and number. Hot-stage microscopy also has the advantage that the sensitivity of the system is not influenced by different heating rates.
In the past, the recording of photographic information was not exactly easy. It has long been possible to mount cameras and video cameras on microscopes but the archiving of pictures was restricted to photographic paper and video recorders. Today it is absolutely essential that the information is available in digital form. This means that the still and video images must be saved on a PC system. It is also essential to document other parameters such as the sample temperature, the magnification or scale, the sample name, and the time and date besides the actual images themselves.
For this reason, two new software packages are now available for the METTLER TOLEDO FP82 hot-stage system: Studio Capture as an economical solution for standard applications and analySIS® for the high-end user...
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Hot-stage microscopy is an extremely valuable tool for the characterization of polymorphic forms and the study of melting and crystallization processes. The advantages of this technique are greatly improved in combination with modern image and video recording technologies. The exchange of image data in electronic form then becomes a very simple matter.
Elucidation of Thermal Transitions by Hot-Stage Microscopy | Thermal Analysis Application No. UC205 | Application published in METTLER TOLEDO Thermal Analysis UserCom 20