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Market leaders in temperature controlled microscopy, Linkam Scientific Instruments, announce the launch of their Optical DSC450 which enables simultaneous visualization of thermal processes for improved materials characterisation.

Linkam's engineers are continually working to develop constructive solutions to practical problems. One of the latest developments is the Optical DSC450, a Differential Scanning Calorimeter for measurements up to 450 °C.

Differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, is a technique used to measure temperatures and heat flow associated with thermal transitions in a material. Common usage includes investigation, selection, comparison and end-use performance evaluation of materials in research, quality control and production applications. Properties measured using DSC techniques include glass transitions, phase changes, melting points, crystallisation and degradation temperatures.

This system has been optimised for those wishing to measure the transition temperatures and enthalpy changes of their samples. The designs allows mounting of the stage on a microscope granting image and time lapse recording of sample transitions with high detail.

The Optical DSC450 enables the user to measure glass transitions and melting behaviour of a wide range of substances whilst accurately controlling temperature from -196 °C to 450 °C. The atmosphere of the stage can also be purged with gas as required by the user. A new feature which will increase the characterisation capabilities of the DSC system is to combine it with imaging capability. The new LINK Digital Imaging module enables additional information to be obtained by correlating optical changes such as colour with temperature. The new TASC analysis tool takes this further. TASC (Thermal Analysis by Surface Characterisation) is a new image analysis capability which enables structural changes in samples to be tracked and quantified optically. It has the unique ability to measure local transition temperatures allowing different points on a sample to be identified. The new DSC system is great tool to use in research and quality control to measure quantitative values for glass transitions, melting peaks and sample purity and, when combined with TASC, even sample homogeneity.

For X-ray applications, the DSC600 is available.

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