When it comes to selecting materials for your next innovative product, the material specification sheet is likely the first place that you will turn. This document provides core properties measured by the manufacturer and serves as an essential tool for supplier verification and new product development. However, while these sheets are reliable and provide a standard method for comparison, they often fail to tell the whole story.

For successful material selection, product performance, failure prevention, it is important to go beyond the spec sheet and conduct in-house testing. This proactive approach will save you both time and money by facilitating informed material choices and enhancing product design.

A material specification sheet provides a snapshot of a material’s key properties as measured by the manufacturer. These properties are typically measured using standardized methods such as ASTM or ISO standards, offering some consistency and comparability across different materials. The spec sheet can be used for various purposes:

• Supplier Verification: Ensuring that the material provided by a supplier meets the necessary criteria for production.
• New Product Development: Aiding in the selection of new materials during the design phase of a product.

While spec sheets provide a foundational understanding, relying solely on them can be risky; they often provide incomplete information to know the material’s performance or predict lifetime of a product, especially in real-world application conditions.

Spec sheets are foundational for understanding general material properties, but they often lack detailed information about how a material will behave under specific conditions, such as the effects of different temperatures, prolonged stress or stress cycles, or exposure to harsh environments. Uncovering these blind spots is necessary for improving processing conditions, understanding material lifespan, and ultimately selecting the right material at the start of your development process.

To fully understand a material’s properties and ensure it meets your specific requirements, additional testing is required. Here are some critical aspects to consider:

Environmental Impacts

Materials can perform differently under various environmental conditions, such as UV exposure, or humidity. Due to the impracticality of inspecting materials in active use, such as polymer coatings on wires embedded in walls, a quick test lasting only a few minutes to hours is conducted to estimate the long-term stability of these materials over decades.¹

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) with oxidative induction time (OIT) analysis helps predict the aging and degradation of polymers, guiding material selection for longevity and reliability. For instance, polymers exposed to heat, oxygen, or light degrade faster, and OIT provides insights into their lifespan.

A variation of the OIT test, known as high-pressure OIT (HPOIT), is becoming increasingly popular. Proponents argue that oxidative data obtained under high pressure and temperature conditions align more closely with results from traditional, accelerated aging tests. The HPOIT test offers two primary advantages: high pressure raises the boiling points of additives, reducing their volatility, and it increases the concentration of the reacting oxidizing gas. This enables the use of lower test temperatures or significantly reduces test durations at comparable temperatures.²

Alternatively, high-pressure thermogravimetric analysis (HP-TGA) simulates extended exposure to harsh environments by using a combination of heat and elevated pressure. It is particularly useful for materials used in industrial applications, such as cabling for electrical or fiber optic systems. Safeguarding polymers against catastrophic degradation when exposed to direct sunlight or buried underground is crucial for these applications.³

Mechanical Behavior

Understanding the mechanical properties of materials beyond the scope of the datasheet is essential for nearly every application. For example, the following should be considered:

• Temperature Effects: Materials can exhibit drastically different properties at varying temperatures. Datasheets typically only list tensile properties at room temperature, but materials are frequently expected to perform under higher or lower temperatures.
• Long-Term Loading: What happens if a material is subjected to a load for weeks, months, or even years? Will it deform over time, i.e., creep? Will it crack under prolonged stress, i.e., creep rupture? For example, a clothing hanger may perform well under normal use, but storing a heavy coat over winter could cause the neck to elongate and eventually break. In this example, the clothing hanger began failing to perform its function (holding up clothes) due to creep and fell off the rod. Had it not fallen due to deformation, it would have eventually cracked due to creep rupture.

• Repeated Loading: In a process known as fatigue, repeated loading can cause accumulating damage, leading to fracture. It is important to know the stress levels and number of loading cycles a material can withstand before failure. Polymers exhibit fatigue in a very different way than metals and fatigue life estimates cannot be extrapolated from tensile strength as easily. Additionally, the usage temperature can have a significant impact on fatigue life at much lower temperatures than metals.

Mechanical test instruments evaluate durability and mechanical characteristics under various stresses (forces), frequencies, and environmental conditions. Specifically, Electroforce load frame instruments measure a sample’s response to force, whether it is a single push or pull (tensile test), repetitive load (fatigue), or creep/stress-relaxation test. Mechanical testing also accounts for environmental effects by testing in temperature-controlled air, gas, or fluid submersion.

Material testing is crucial in manufacturing and product development because it minimizes the risk of product failure, which can have costly and even dangerous consequences. Unexpected material behavior can lead to malfunctions, product recalls, and reputational damage.

For example, a woven fiberglass composite had a manufacturer’s recommended operating temperature up to 130°C. However, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) testing revealed that the material’s storage modulus and loss modulus began to change around 100°C.⁴ Further fatigue testing data revealed that the material had a 90% reduction in its fatigue life at 100°C.⁵ Manufacturers could have mistakenly put this material into products used at high temperatures, such as baking, without realizing that it was highly likely to break.

Conducting thorough testing upfront provides higher confidence in material choices, ultimately saving time, money, and resources. Moreover, comprehensive material testing contributes to better long-term product reliability and performance. By thoroughly examining how a material responds to factors like fatigue, creep, and environmental degradation, manufacturers can design products that not only meet initial requirements but also maintain integrity throughout their life cycle. This proactive approach fosters innovation in product design, as engineers gain a deeper understanding of the material’s limits and capabilities, allowing for the creation of more efficient, safer, and longer-lasting products.

Going beyond the spec sheet is not just a recommendation; it is a necessity. By investing in additional testing, such as OIT using DSC and HP-TGA, you can uncover profound insights about material performance. By adding DMA and Electroforce fatigue testing to your testing suite, you can better predict material properties at various temperature conditions and repeat loading. These insights will ensure you make informed decisions that save time, money, and valuable resources by selecting the proper material for your application conditions. TA Instruments is here to support you with precision instruments and technical expertise, ensuring you have the tools needed to expertly evaluate materials and make the best decisions for your projects.

The composites market is evolving fast. Global market projections indicate a 10.8 % growth by 2028, driven by the demand for composites across industries looking for materials with superior performance at reduced weight and cost.¹ This blog explores how advanced material analysis can enhance R&D and manufacturing processes in the composites market, ultimately leading to financial savings and increased efficiency.

While traditionally associated with the aerospace sector, composite materials have been adopted by several industries. Sectors actively utilizing composites include:

• Aerospace: Valued for their high strength-to-weight ratio, composites like carbon fiber reinforced polymer and aramid reinforced polymer enable the production of lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft and satellites, contributing to reduced operational costs and increased payload capacities.²
• Automotive: A variety of automotive components, such as chassis and suspension systems, rely on composites for improved safety, fuel efficiency, and performance. Stringent emission regulations are driving this shift, including lightweighting automotive materials for enhanced fuel economy.³
• Renewable Energy: Composites are integral to the renewable energy sector, particularly in the construction of wind turbine blades and solar panel components. Companies are leveraging the dimensional stability, durability, and strength of these materials for operation under harsh environmental conditions, enhancing the longevity and efficiency of renewable energy systems.³
• Construction: Advanced composite materials, such as high-performance concrete mixes and fiber-reinforced polymers, can create structures more resistant to environmental degradation while offering excellent design flexibility. This improves construction longevity, reducing maintenance costs over time.⁴

While composites offer numerous advantages, manufacturers and material scientists face several challenges during their development and manufacturing including:

Designing and Selecting the Right Material

One of the main challenges in composites R&D is the selection of appropriate materials for specific applications. Researchers must consider criteria such as mechanical strength, thermal stability, and environmental resistance, which will entail the careful balancing of trade-offs between different performance characteristics.

Increased Complexity of Material Design

In achieving the desired balance of characteristics, scientists need to precisely control parameters such as filler orientation and distribution. Research has shown that the incorporation of nanofillers into a polymer matrix can bolster its mechanical properties and reduce water absorption in fiber-reinforced composites. As a result, strong interfacial adhesion is established between the matrix and nanofillers, allowing for efficient stress transfer during loading.

However, if not properly managed, the orientation and distribution of fillers within a composite can lead to variations in strength and other properties. The subsequent effect on the interfacial interactions can induce premature failure in the material.⁵

Sustainability

Reinforced polymer composites present several benefits, including the conservation of depleting resources such as metals and alloys. However, their disposal poses significant environmental challenges due to the non-biodegradable nature of petroleum-based polymers and synthetic fibers.

Consequently, research has increasingly focused on developing fully biodegradable and eco-friendly materials known as green composites. The use of green composites has significantly expanded across various engineering disciplines, yet the limited solubility of lignin-based materials for analytical purposes restricts the complete understanding and development of lignin-based green composites.⁶

New Manufacturing Techniques

Techniques like lightweighting and additive manufacturing deliver benefits but also introduce new challenges. Lightweighting replaces heavy materials with lighter-weight composites without compromising strength-to-weight ratios or structures’ fundamental design, while additive manufacturing increases throughput and design complexity. However, researchers must tackle the expensive nature of lightweighting processes, which can also risk impairing the ductility and formability of the materials, as well as concerns regarding the fabrication of composites with long fibers and complex cavities that surround additive manufacturing.^7,8

High Manufacturing Costs

Producing complex composite parts can require costly raw materials, specialized equipment, and skilled labor, leading to high costs. Effective quality control measures are essential to ensure that the final products meet the required standards without excessive waste or rework.⁹

To overcome these challenges, precise material analysis is essential. Key material properties to measure include:

• Glass Transition and Crystallinity: Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is a powerful technique for measuring the glass transition temperature and crystallinity of composites. These parameters are critical for understanding the thermal and mechanical properties of the material. For example, NASA uses a TA Instruments DSC to determine the quality of thermoplastic composite panels, which is vital for ensuring their performance in space applications.¹⁰ Further examples of real-world composites research using DSC can be found in our blog.
• Cure Kinetics, Cross-Linking, Gelation, and Cure Conversion: DSC paired with LED-PCA accessory can measure cure kinetics and the extent of cross-linking, gelation, and cure conversion in composite materials. These measurements help optimize processing conditions to achieve the desired mechanical properties and durability.^11,12
• Structural Relaxation, Time-Temperature Superposition, and Aging: Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) provides insights into the viscoelastic behavior of composites, including structural relaxation, time-temperature superposition, and aging effects. This information is key for predicting the long-term performance and stability of composite materials under various, sometime harsh, environmental conditions.¹³ Learn more about DMA testing of composites in this blog.
• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion: Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) measures the coefficient of thermal expansion, which is important for understanding how composite materials will behave under thermal cycling. This is particularly relevant for applications where materials are exposed to varying temperatures, such as in aerospace and automotive industries.¹⁴

In response to the rising demand for materials that combine superior performance with low weight and cost, the composites market is rapidly expanding. This growth trajectory underscores the importance of addressing inherent challenges in the development and manufacturing of composites, such as selecting and designing appropriate materials, ensuring sustainability, implementing new manufacturing techniques, and managing high production costs.

Advanced material analysis techniques, including DSC, DMA, and TMA, are crucial in overcoming these challenges. These techniques provide critical insights into the thermal and mechanical properties of composites, enabling researchers and manufacturers to optimize processes and achieve the desired performance and durability.

TA Instruments supports composite R&D with cutting-edge material analysis instruments, helping you to overcome the complexities of composite design and manufacturing. By investing in advanced material analysis, companies can lower costs, increase efficiency, and stay competitive in the rapidly evolving composites market.

For more information on how TA Instruments can support the R&D of your composites, visit our composites page or contact us to speak with an expert.

This article explores the intricacies of PCR, challenges in processing, and techniques to verify its suitability for various applications.

As a central pillar of modern society, the pharmaceutical industry bears the load of billions of lives around the world. In 2022, the global revenue of the pharmaceutical industry approximated $1.5 trillion, a figure reflected in two decades of significant growth.¹

Pharmaceutical development is advanced by the continued search for new active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), including analogs, phytopharmaceuticals, and biopharmaceuticals, which have the potential to yield life-changing drugs. This enterprise is concomitant with an increasing trend toward designing new dosage forms and drug combinations, improving manufacturing processes, and exploring new indications for existing drugs.

Addressing the needs of the pharmaceutical industry, specifically the research, development and analysis of drugs, requires a sophisticated suite of techniques for fast and effective characterization and quality control. Thermal analysis is a family of techniques that measures the change of specific properties of materials as a function of temperature to elucidate their physical and chemical characteristics.^2,3 While thermal analysis comprises numerous methods, this article will focus on three key examples: differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and sorption analysis.

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a valuable analytical technique employed in pharmaceutical R&D to assess the thermal stability and decomposition behavior of materials. TGA involves subjecting a sample to controlled temperature increases under a controlled atmosphere while continuously monitoring its weight.⁴

Material stability is of paramount importance in pharmaceuticals, as it directly affects product safety, efficacy, and shelf-life. Understanding how a pharmaceutical substance reacts to temperature variations and identifying potential degradation pathways is critical for ensuring the stability of the final product.

TGA offers several benefits to pharmaceutical research and development, including:

• Identifying optimal storage conditions and packaging materials to prevent premature drug degradation through precise degradation measurements
• Determining the moisture content of products, which directly affects chemical stability, API crystal structure, dissolution rate, and compaction.⁵
• Ensuring the development of stable and effective drug formulations by selecting thermally compatible excipients and formulation components.

Providing quality and regulatory compliance when coupled with mass spectrometry Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Together, these techniques can detect and quantify volatiles in pharmaceutical samples.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a powerful analytical technique widely used in the pharmaceutical industry to characterize APIs and excipients. DSC measures the heat flow associated with temperature changes in a sample during heating, cooling, or remaining isothermal, offering insights into phase/structural changes, chemical reactions, and physical interactions.⁴

During drug research DSC is critical in identifying polymorphs, or different forms of the same chemical compound. Different polymorphs of a drug can exhibit distinct physicochemical properties, such as solubility, dissolution rate, and bioavailability. By subjecting a sample to varying temperatures, DSC can reveal different polymorphs and aid in the selection of the most desirable form, for example, optimizing for enhanced bioavailability and manufacturability.⁴

Additionally, DSC provides critical insights into the glass transition temperature (Tg). This is the temperature at which an amorphous material undergoes a reversible transition from a ductile state to a hard/brittle state or vice versa. The size of the glass transition step is linearly proportional to the amount of amorphous structure in the sample, making it a valuable tool for understanding amorphous content.⁴

Understanding the amorphous content of pharmaceutical solids is advantageous because it can inform decisions to improve the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. Amorphous pharmaceuticals are more soluble and exhibit higher dissolution rates compared to their crystalline counterparts. By monitoring and maintaining amorphous content, DSC can help ensure the stability of these valuable properties.⁴

Another benefit of DSC is its ability to examine material compatibility. In pharmaceutical formulation, it is crucial to ensure that APIs are compatible with excipients, such as bulking agents and lubricants. DSC can detect incompatibilities by revealing shifts or deviations in thermal behavior, helping formulators make informed decisions to avoid potential issues during drug development. These issues could take the shape of unforeseen chemical interactions between excipients and the API, mismatching of physical properties like solubility and dissolution rates, and impairment of the API’s bioavailability.⁴

Finally, knowledge of amorphous content aids in optimizing the lyophilization process. Lyophilization, or freeze-drying, is a crucial step in preserving and transporting pharmaceutical products and ensures the stability and efficacy of the final product. For more information on lyophilization, read our blog, How to Optimize Lyophilization with Thermal Analysis.

Sorption analysis (SA) is a fundamental tool in pharmaceutical R&D used to measure the weight change of a material under water vapor as a function of humidity and temperature. Accordingly, SA helps quantify how moisture is absorbed or desorbed by a drug substance or formulation under various environmental conditions.⁴ This is important because moisture content is a critical factor that affects the stability of solid dosage forms and can adversely impact the efficacy and shelf life of pharmaceutical products by promoting degradation, such as through the hydrolytic degradation of drugs with certain functional groups.⁵

SA can also reveal how water sorption can decrease the glass transition temperature of the amorphous phase in a material. This reduction in Tg can soften the amorphous phase and potentially initiate unwanted crystallization, adversely affecting the product’s properties and stability.

Altogether, understanding the moisture sorption behavior of pharmaceutical products ensures that they maintain their desired characteristics, stability, and effectiveness throughout their shelf life. Furthermore, it allows for optimizing formulation strategies, packaging design, and storage conditions.

Thermal analysis, comprising techniques such as DSC, TGA, and SA, plays an indispensable role in pharmaceutical research, development, and quality control. These methods are part of a comprehensive toolkit for characterizing pharmaceutical materials and ensuring the safety, efficacy, and stability of drug products. While they can be used in isolation, their use in combination can yield deeper insights into pharmaceutical materials. For example, combining DSC and TGA allows for the detailed examination of decomposition behavior and apparent melting.

TA Instruments’ DSC, TGA, and SA technology provide the most accurate and reliable information about pharmaceutical materials, facilitating the development of safe, effective, and stable drug products for patients worldwide.

Contact TA Instruments’ experts today to learn more about how our technology can revolutionize your research and development process, ensuring the highest standards of quality and efficiency.

印刷电路板（PCB）几乎是所有电子应用的支柱。提高 PCB 的性能和可靠性对于 PCB 项目至关重要，更小的印记和更高的可维护性可增强电路板的功能。然而，要确保在不同条件下的使用寿命和性能的一致性，则需要进行详细的分析。

热分析是 PCB 开发过程中的重要工具，该技术可让我们了解材料在不同温度下的行为，以确保材料的稳定性。具体到 PCB，热分析对于评估涂层和粘合剂的固化性能非常重要，而涂层和粘合剂是防止可导致腐蚀和电路板降解的湿气侵入的关键材料。

此外，热分析提供了一种定量方法来比较各种涂层的性能并评估 PCB 材料的固化程度，从而提高生产效率。它还有助于比较层压板和粘合剂在不同温度范围内的性能，降低因热和应力而导致产品失效的风险。最后，热分析支持报废产品的回收利用，例如通过研究由 PCB 废料制成的复合材料。¹

在这里，我们将探索专为 PCB 评估而量身定制的五项关键的热分析技术，阐明它们在提高产品性能和可靠性方面的核心作用。

无论您是从事评估层压板或固化程度的早期产品开发工作，还是专注于评估最终产品稳定性的后期产品开发工作，这五项热分析技术和仪器都可以简化您的工作流程。以下概述了 PCB 热分析的五项关键技术：

热机械分析（TMA）

热机械分析（TMA）非常适合观察玻璃化转变温度附近的材料行为。在研究中，已将 TA 的 TMA 用于跟踪 PCB 树脂玻璃化转变的变化，并将这些变化与表面光洁度和热冲击相关联。²

在一项特定研究中，应用 TA Instruments TMA 分析非导电粘合树脂的化学改性可如何影响与填料分散相关的热性能。³ 该过程包括分析材料的热膨胀性能，然后使用该数据计算热膨胀系数并跟踪玻璃化转变的变化。该评估有助于确定相关材料在特定温度范围内的适用性，以及是否可能因过度膨胀而在 PCB 中产生不需要的应力。

热重分析（TGA）

热重分析（TGA）测量样品重量随温度的变化。TGA 的一项关键应用是评估材料的热稳定性。在一项研究中，研究小组利用 TA TGA 来检测本征黑色聚酰亚胺薄膜的热稳定性。聚酰亚胺薄膜以其优异的环境稳定性而闻名，可用于柔性印刷电路板。该团队的目标是验证生产本征黑色聚酰亚胺薄膜的工艺不会对标准聚酰亚胺薄膜典型的高热稳定性产生负面影响。4 该研究体现了 TGA 在评估材料热特性方面的成效，而材料热特性是 PCB 开发中的一个关键因素。

差示扫描量热法（DSC）

差示扫描量热法（DSC） 是测量固化行为的理想技术，无论固化过程涉及加热还是光照均是如此。DSC 测量提高样品温度所需的热量，是表征转化潜热、材料转化温度和热容等特性的有效方法。

动态力学分析（DMA）

动态力学分析（DMA）分析材料响应如何随外力和温度的变化而变化。其中的一项应用是观察材料如何响应加载和 PCB 的制备而发生变化。该分析还可与提高温度相结合，以更好地了解 PCB 对焊接等工艺的反应。⁵

闪光扩散率

闪光扩散率 是一种常用于测量热扩散率和热导率的方法，因其显著的实验便利性而闻名。在这项技术中，通常应用由激光或氙气源产生的强烈闪光来传递脉冲热量。随后，使用检测器（通常是红外传感器）对热能在材料中的扩散情况进行量化。可根据该数据计算材料的热导率。

闪光扩散率可精确测量热传输并可对 PCB 进行精确表征。一组研究人员使用该技术来研究用作相变材料的镍钛合金的热性能，以改善大功率电子设备的热管理。⁶

热分析方法可帮助 PCB 开发的所有阶段（从原型阶段到最终产品）。上述所有研究均利用了 TA Instruments 业界领先的热分析设备。

由于 TA Instruments 的设备具有卓越的可靠性、测量准确性以及用户友好和高效的操作，行业专业人士通常非常信任 TA Instruments 的设备。请联系 TA Instruments 的电子专家，以了解我们最先进的电子热分析解决方案可如何加快您的产品开发进程，并协助您为客户提供更优质的产品。

我们对复合材料抱有很高的期望：火箭材料需要承受起飞时的高温，风力涡轮机必须能够承受强阵风，运动鞋需要具有长跑所需的耐用性和支撑性。专家如何开发适合此类特定用途的复合材料并验证其性能呢？

复合材料由两种或多种材料组成，这些材料粘合在一起，但在成品结构的宏观或微观尺度上仍然是截然不同的材料。由此产生的复合材料具有不同于任何单一材料的特性。因此，材料科学家需要能够针对特定应用优化复合材料配方，但首先必须进行充分的测试，以验证材料特性。

复合材料开发商利用尖端分析技术满足当今对轻质、可靠产品的高要求。他们首先对材料和产品原型进行表征，以解决客户期望的关键性能属性，包括强度、耐热性、附着力和耐用性。

世界各地实验室的复合材料科学家如何利用材料分析来提高其产品性能？以下是顶尖的材料科学技术以及如何在不同应用和行业中应用这些技术来测试复合材料的真实研究示例：

差示扫描量热仪（DSC）测量与材料的热转变相关的温度和热流。DSC 可量化复合材料的玻璃化转变温度（Tg）、凝胶时间和固化时间等关键指标。

Mohamed Rady 教授在波尔多大学使用 DSC 来支持他对颗粒复合材料相变的研究。¹ 他专门研究了熔化和凝固，设计了一个简单的程序来从 DSC 中获得准确的结果。

保罗萨巴蒂尔大学 CIRIMAT 实验室的研究人员 Rivière、Caussé、Lonjon、Dantras 和 Lacabanne 使用调制 DSC 来研究了在聚合物（聚醚醚酮）基体中添加银纳米粒子的效果。² 准确的热导率和比热测量使他们能够了解材料的热传导机制。他们的数据可用于优化材料的混合，以形成适合特定应用的复合材料。

TA Instruments 的 Discovery DSC 系列配备了专利 Tzero DSC 技术，在基线平坦度、过渡分辨率和灵敏度方面均有所改进，可进行更精确的热流测量。可在 TA DSC 上更快、更准确地运行 Modulated® DSC（MDSC®）实验。多样品 X3 DSC 可独特地同时测量多达三个样品的热流，从而提高生产率。

流变学是研究材料流动和变形的学科。变形和流动分别称为应变和应变率，表示物体在外力或应力的影响下移动的距离。

例如，埃博尼州立大学的 Ogah 教授使用流变仪测量填料和添加剂对木塑复合材料加工的影响。³ Ogah 以热塑性聚合物为基体材料对天然纤维进行加工，创造出天然纤维复合材料。然后，他在 TA Instruments Discovery 混合流变仪上分析了不同的纤维类型、含量、颗粒尺寸和形状对最终复合材料的流变特性的影响。

流变仪具有测量粘度和粘弹性的独特功能。TA Instruments 的 Discovery 混合流变仪还可帮助用户轻松识别粘度计或毛细管流变仪无法研究的微观结构的差异。在研究复合材料如何在微观层面上相互作用时，这些测量尤其有用。

力学测试可帮助研究人员表征材料的机械性能，或确定结构对某种特定力量的反应。复合材料开发人员对材料的失效、疲劳、剪切或蠕变进行量化，并利用这些信息为特定应用设计出更好的产品。

来自阿尔伯塔大学的 Garces 和 Ayranci 开发了一种新方法，他们利用基于挤压的增材制造技术，通过电阻加热来制造和激活形状记忆聚合物复合材料（SMPC）。⁴ 他们使用 TA Instruments 的 ElectroForce 热调节拉伸测试仪评估特定加工条件下的变形对 SMPC 的影响。他们的研究使其他人能够利用该技术成功制造 SMPC，并将其广泛应用于 “生物医学支架、运动器材和无人驾驶飞行器（UAV）”等领域。

无论是开发坚固的建筑材料还是生物相容性骨替代物，世界各地的领先实验室都依靠 ElectroForce 机械测试仪器来验证复合材料的机械性能。ElectroForce 负载框架涵盖了广泛的作用力范围，而多样本疲劳仪器可同时测试多达 16 个样本，因此可加速疲劳研究。

虽然这些研究示例说明了一些可能性，但还有无数的仪器和技术可用于分析复合材料的每种材料属性。在我们的复合材料页面上了解当今的领先技术，并查看哪些仪器符合您在复合材料设计和加工方面的需求。

仍不确定最适合您实验室的技术？请联系 TA Instruments，我们的复合材料专家将很高兴为您指明正确的方向。

消费者兴趣和可持续性发展目标导致对电动汽车的需求飙升。美国的目标是，到 2030 年时电动汽车销量占总市场的 50%，但 99% 的电动汽车电池的原材料和零部件材料均在国外生产。^{1, 2} 采购外国制造的材料和电池已经给该行业带来了挑战。2022 年 3 月，由于俄罗斯入侵乌克兰，电池的主要原料镍的价格暴涨。³

电动汽车制造商对短期内实现全球贸易稳定并不乐观。大众汽车奥迪部门首席执行官 Markus Duesmann 在接受《纽约时报》采访时表示，“在未来几年内，原材料都将是一个问题。” ⁴

美国政府已为支持新型方法做好准备，以实现可持续性国内电池供应。一项 2022 年两党基础设施法案拨款超过 70 亿美元，以帮助创建成本更低、中断更少、产速更快的美国电池供应链。⁵

现在，国内电池生产的未来掌握在电池研究人员和制造商的手中。电动汽车电池行业正采用新技术和新工艺来完成看似不可能完成的任务：在不依赖外国贸易的情况下制造可靠的电池。以下是领先的电动汽车电池制造商已推行的可持续性国内电池生产的方式，以及分析技术在这一进程中发挥的关键作用。

为规避供应链问题以及降低成本，顶级电动汽车原始设备制造商（OEM）正在转向生产自己的电池。通用汽车研发部电池系统研究总监 Mei Cai 博士在佛罗里达州奥兰多举行的 “2022 年国际电池研讨会和展览会 (the International Battery Seminar and Exhibit 2022)”上介绍了通用汽车 (GM) 在电池制造方面的工作。

Cai 博士解释说：“通用汽车内部电池研发的重中之重是能量密度，即电池可以以轻便的形式储存多少能量。” 提高能量密度会降低成本。该团队正在探索固体锂阳极和固体电解质界面膜，以实现最高的能量密度和最低的成本。一旦通用汽车在电池研发方面取得成功，他们计划将电池设计应用于在电动汽车之外的领域并实现盈利。

电池制造商如何在国内生产高性价比、高能量密度电池的竞争中获胜？热分析为有效的材料选择和电池设计提供了重要的数据。通过热分析确保电池在各种条件下的安全性和性能，是创建功能性、革命性电池设计的第一步。流变学可用于优化电池浆料配方，是确保电极制造稳定性和可加工性的关键步骤。

由于对传统锂离子电池材料（锂、钴、镍和石墨）的需求量巨大，电池研究人员正在探索可持续性替代品。Group14 Technologies 和 Sila Nanotechnologies 正在拓展他们在硅基阳极材料方面的工作，该材料具有可超越当前石墨材料的应用潜力。⁶

使用新型电池材料可释放出更为顺畅的国内生产的潜能，同时可提高安全性和性能。研究人员在实际操作条件下使用热分析技术来研究应用创新材料的电池设计。例如，国家可再生能源实验室 (the National Renewable Energy Laboratory) 的 M. C. Schultz 等人使用他们的 TA Instruments DSC 和 TGA 来研究涂层对硅阳极材料的影响。⁷ DSC 和 TGA 常用于电池研究，以验证新材料是否可增强电池的运行和安全性。

当锂离子电池达到使用寿命时，如何避免浪费其宝贵的材料？电池材料短缺可通过重复使用旧电池中的原材料来解决。在国内回收电池是最有效的方法，因为这样做既可以降低排放和运输成本，同时也可以加强国内电池材料供应链。⁸

与任何回收系统一样，将回收材料纳入新产品需要对材料进行彻底的表征。电池内的电化学过程会如何改变材料？它们是否因电池误用或损坏而变形？材料分析技术可帮助电池开发人员确保回收材料可提供必要的热学和物理学特性，以支持新的功能性电池。

尽管需要克服挑战，但也存在巨大的机遇。电动汽车制造商有机会将电池生产掌控在自己手中，因此他们可以克服供应链的不稳定性问题并监督电池生产的方方面面。目前采用新型材料和可回收材料的电池制造商将为未来几十年的生产融入可持续性和可靠性。

任何主要的供应链转变都需要严格的质量控制和测试。正如上面提到的例子，电池材料测试是发展可持续性国内电池生产的关键步骤。从材料选择到电池安全测试，这些技术将成为国内电池设计和制造的支柱。点击此处以了解有关电池材料测试的更多信息，并了解这些技术将如何支持可持续性国内电池生产的未来。

技术的发展日新月异。无论您是升级旧设备还是为您的工作台添加新技术，使用尖端仪器都一定会提高您实验室的效率和成果。新型仪器可提供更可靠的数据和更先进的功能，这对于始终立足于材料创新前沿而言至关重要。

但是，如何在升级仪器以获得最佳投资回报的同时最大限度地减少停机时间呢？以下是可让您无缝且轻松地升级实验室的 4 种方法。

用最新型号的仪器更换服务多年的老旧仪器是改善实验室结果的最简单的方法之一。更好的消息是，您可以用旧仪器换取升级折扣。

2000 年推出的 TA Instruments Q 系列热分析仪彻底革新了测量方法，Discovery 系列以其改进的测量和易用性延续了品牌传统。用户可对其 Q 系列 DSC、TGA、DMA、SDT、TMA 仪器或竞争型号仪器进行以旧换新，以节省购买新的 Discovery 系列热分析仪的费用。Discovery 系列提供无与伦比的灵敏度和准确性，可检测样品中的最小变化，并通过强大的 TRIOS 软件提供革命性的用户体验。点击此处以解更多信息并联系我们以对您的热分析仪进行以旧换新。

同样，您可以对 TA Instruments AR 流变仪或竞争型号仪器进行以旧换新，以节省购买新的 Discovery 混合流变仪的费用。升级到 DHR 实现了卓越的功能改进 – 由于 DHR 优异的扭矩灵敏度，用户可使用更少的样品测量更低的黏度和更小的应力。该仪器的混合功能是游戏规则的改变者：可在一台含集成线性 DMA 的流变仪上进行剪切流变学、黏性/剥离、拉伸黏度测量，以及张力、弯曲和压缩测量。DHR 广泛的功能和配件（包括与许多 AR 配件的兼容性）可为您实验室未来可能需要的任何测量提供保障。联系我们以了解有关流变仪以旧换新的更多信息。

除节省成本外，对您的热分析仪或流变仪进行以旧换新也非常易于操作且回报丰厚：

• 通过承接已有的历史数据和操作程序实现平稳过渡
• 使用新的“无人值守”自动进样器减少瓶颈（可在特定的热分析仪型号上使用）
• 借助专为每个用户级别的易用性而构建的 TRIOS 软件，最大限度地减少操作适应时间
• 通过可靠的结果和更高的准确性提高数据可信度
• 通过新功能和测量选项扩展实验室能力

冻干（也称为冷冻干燥）是从样品中去除水分的过程，通常用于样品的保存。冻干通常通过快速冷冻过程让样品中的水升华，进而降低样品的水含量。快速冷冻材料有助于避免因大冰晶的形成而对样品的细胞壁产生破坏。

冻干的常见应用包括材料的保存，特别是用于药物运输。如果以液体形式运输，非肠道药物可能会丧失稳定性或效力。因此在用于患者之前，需要使用冻干技术来制造更易于运输和复溶的药物产品。

此外，许多新型治疗药物的溶解度差，应用常规药物交付方法时通常会损失药物的生物利用度。应用冻干技术可以制造可通过固态形式运输的无定形固体分散体。¹

虽然冻干是制药行业中常规使用的技术，但该技术具有高度的特异性，并且需要高度可控的生产方案。不适当的程序可导致冷冻不足、过载以及设备或样品损坏。生物样品尤其易于遭受由冷冻引起的损害，进而降低了药品的功效和效力。因此，详细的表征对于优化样品制备、冻干和产品交付至关重要。

研究人员需要在整个冻干过程中测量关键参数和材料性能，以优化其工艺和产品。应用热分析测量温度变化如何影响样品的材料性能。

玻璃化转变和 DSC

玻璃化转变温度（Tg）是冻干样品从冷冻、易碎状态转变为更粘稠状态并出现流动性增加时的温度。³研究人员需要确定玻璃化转变温度，以优化冻干后样品复溶的过程。

差示扫描量热法（DSC）测量与材料的热转变（包括玻璃转变）相关的温度和热流。对于样品的结晶温度接近于玻璃化转变温度的复杂情况，温度调制式差示扫描量热法可帮助确定这些材料的性能。使用线性温度斜坡调节样品温度可以测量样品的热容量以及测试期间的总热流。

TA Instruments 提供唯一的可用于热分析的调制动态扫描量热仪，包括可同时运行 3 个样品并可在更短的时间内提供更多数据的多样本 X3 DSC（Multi-Sample X3 DSC）。X3 DSC 应用 TA Instruments 专利的 Fusion Cell 设计，可提供具有最高水平性能的最准确、最可靠的热分析测量。

纳米差示扫描量热法也可用于复溶后样品的分析，以查看产品的稳定性或功效是否发生了变化。纳米差示扫描量热法 (DSC) 可有效表征分子的稳定性、确定高亲和力配体结合以及反卷积多结构域结构。

干燥和 TGA

冻干样品后，如何确认样品已完全干燥？热重分析仪 (TGA) 甚至可以可靠地检测出最少量的残留水分。该分析可用于评估冻干工艺的质量，预测产品可能保持的稳定性，并确定冻干的最佳参数。²

卡尔费休滴定法（Karl Fischer titration）是最广泛使用的检测残留水分的方法，并可在 TGA 仪器上运行；此外，TGA 还可用于测试与卡尔费休滴定法不兼容的化学品。² TGA 还提供有关冻干样品在不同温度和压力下的表现数据。

TA Instruments 提供一系列的热重分析仪，可满足每个实验室的需求。TGA 55 是一款坚固、可靠且具有成本效益的选项，配有专有的 Tru-Mass 天平，是竞争性型号中可进行最准确测量的仪器。TGA 550 通过附加功能和可选扩展功能提供了更高的性能和灵活性。TGA 5500 提供了最强的性能，与任何竞争性 TGA 相比，该仪器的漂移更小并可提供最快的加热和冷却速率。对于任何实验室和冻干工艺，总有一款 TGA 可以满足您的需求并推进您的研究。

由于冻干工艺是严格控制的过程，领先的实验室需要高度准确和高效的热分析仪器来改进程序，进而避免浪费宝贵的时间。热重分析和差示扫描量热法是优化冻干工艺的标准方法，但如前所述，有许多仪器可供选择。

TA Instruments 在设计和生产热分析仪器（包括 TGA 和 DSC）方面处于世界领先地位。TA 以解决方案为中心，与任何其他供应商相比，TA 已帮助更多的客户成功地将 TGA 和 DSC 集成到他们的实验室中。

领先的实验室依靠我们的 DSC 和 TGA 来提高其冻干工艺的生产力和适用性。我们拥有市场上最具成本效益以及具有最高功能的种类繁多的仪器，总有一款可满足您实验室的需求。

请立即联系 TA Instruments并与我们的专家交谈，以了解我们的热分析仪器将如何改善您的冻干工艺。

3D 打印也称为增材制造，许多行业都将其视为一种多功能制造技术。3D 打印可以实现快速成型和按需打印服务，以避免批量运行带来的潜在浪费。

3D 打印拥有创造复杂形状的独特能力，被广泛应用于制造业。许多标准制造方法无法在结构中产生空腔和底切。添加模式可以轻松创造各类独特形状。

3D 打印目前已扩展到一系列材料，包括生物相容性聚合物和各类金属。3D 打印甚至被用于医疗保健等领域，用于定制打印医疗设备。¹

为了优化 3D 打印材料，制造商需要仔细考虑最终材料的机械和热性能。虽然 3D 打印部件往往很轻，而且聚合物部件的正确组合可以拥有与金属相似的抗拉强度，但克服增材制造部件较低的机械和热性能是最大的挑战之一。²

了解挤压过程如何影响打印材料的最终性能是一个非常热门的研究领域。汽车应用对材料的拉伸和热性能要求最高。

幸好，目前有许多含有碳纤维、玻璃纤维和凯夫拉纤维的热塑性聚合物基质可用于 3D 打印部件，并能够在汽车应用中充分实现高性能。²

在 3D 打印过程中，要打印的基材被熔化，然后分层沉积以创建最终对象。在此过程中有多个参数可以优化，例如聚合物床层和喷嘴温度以及层间固化时间。

3D 打印有多种方法，包括选择性激光烧结、生物打印和熔融沉积建模。熔融沉积建模是最常用的方法。

玻璃态转化温度是选择正确温度挤压非晶态聚合物的必要信息。对于半结晶聚合物，其熔化温度是应重点关注的数值。结晶度强烈影响聚合物的机械性能。

许多聚合物用紫外线固化，紫外线在聚合物材料中产生自由基，作为最终聚合物生产中交联过程的引发剂。交联程度越高，材料的硬度和强度就越高。通过改变样品暴露在紫外线下的时间长度可以影响交联的材料强度。

温度和固化时间都会影响聚合物在材料中的分子结构及其性能。因此，为了优化这些参数并探索其对最终材料的影响，材料设计师使用对聚合物性能细节敏感的测试技术。