The Q400 performs high sensitivity mechanical measurements over a wide temperature range.
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The Q400 is a sixth-generation product from the world leader in thermal analysis. Its performance, ease-of-use, and reliability aptly demonstrate our long experience in designing novel instruments for high sensitivity mechanical measurements over a wide temperature range.
The Q400EM is the industry standard research-grade thermomechanical analyzer (TMA), with unmatched flexibility in operating modes, test probes, fixtures, and available signals. The Q400EM Enhanced Mode allows for dynamic experiments to measure complex, storage and loss moduli, as well as Modulated TMA in which reversing and non-reversing components of displacement are available. It is ideal for research, teaching, and quality control applications, with unmatched performance.
| Temperature Range (max) | -150 to 1,000 °C |
| Temperature Precision | ±1°C |
| Furnace Cool Down Time(air cooling) | <10 min from 600 °C to 50°C |
| Maximum Sample Size – solid | 26 mm (L) x 10 mm (D) |
| Maximum Sample Size – film/fiber Static Operation | 26 mm (L) x 1.0 mm (T) x 4.7 mm (W) |
| Dynamic Operation (Q400 EM only) | 26 mm (1.) x .35 mm (T) x 4.7 mm (W) |
| Measurement Precision | ±0.1% |
| Sensitivity | 15 nm |
| Displacement Resolution | <0.5 nm |
| Dynamic Baseline Drift | <1μm (-100 to 500 °C) |
| Force Range | 0.001 to 2 N |
| Force Resolution | 0.001 N |
| Frequency (Q400 EM only) | 0.01 to 2 Hz |
| Mass Flow Control | Included |
| Atmosphere static or controlled flow | Inert Oxidizing or Reactive Gases |
| Standard | Included |
| Stress/Strain (Q400 EM only) | Included |
| Creep (Q400 EM only) | Included |
| Stress Relaxation (Q400 EM only) | Included |
| Dynamic TMA (DTMA) (Q400 EM only) | Included |
| Modulated TMA MTMAN (Q400 EM only) |
Included |
Furnace
FURNACE
- Software-controlled vertical movement
- High performance design for accurate and precise temperature/heating rate control
- Cooling reservoir allows passive (eg. LN2) cooling, or mechanical cooling
- Rugged design ensures long life
Sample Chamber
SAMPLE CHAMBER
- Open architecture for easy sample loading and probe placement
- Purge gas flow is metered by a digital mass flow controller for precise flow rates
- Sample thermocouple is flexible and can be positioned for optimal temperature measurement.
Force Motor
FORCE MOTOR
- Non-contact, friction-free motor for low compliance and the highest force control
- Wide Force Range (0.001 – 2N)
- Software Programmable Force Loading
Transducer
TRANSDUCER
- Movable-core Linear Variable Differential Transducer (LVDT) generates highly accurate output signal directly proportional to dimension change
- Reliable response over wide temperature range
- Positioned below the furnace to eliminate thermal gradient effects
Standard (Q400/Q400EM)
Standard (Q400/Q400EM)
- Constant force, ramp temperature
- Measure coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)
- Measure deflection temperature under load (DTUL)
- Measure softening point of materials
Stress/Strain (Q400EM)
Stress/Strain (Q400EM)
- Ramp stress (or strain), measure resultant strain (or stress)
- Mini-tensile tester mode
- Calculate modulus
- Determine yield stress
Creep & Stress relaxation(Q400EM)
Creep & Stress relaxation(Q400EM)
- Transient testing modes
- Stress (or strain) is held constant over a fixed time
- Determine deformation/recovery properties (creep)
- Determine relaxation modulus vs Time (stress relaxation)
- Excellent tool for predicting material properties
Dynamic TMA Mode (Q400EM)
Dynamic TMA Mode (Q400EM)
- DMA-style test mode
- Sinusoidal forceis applied to the sample
- Resulting strain and sine wave phase difference (d) are measured
- Determine storage modulus (E’), loss modulus (E”) and tan delta as functions of temperature, time or stress.
Modulated TMA Mode (400EM)
Modulated TMA Mode (400EM)
- Sinusoidal temperature modulation is applied to the sample
- Calculate reversing and non-reversing components of dimension change
- Reversing component is useful in detecting subtle glass transitions
- Non-reversing component contains stress relaxations and other kinetic processes
Compression
Compression
- Sample is measured between two parallel plates
- Sample is subjected to static, linear ramp or dynamic force
- Temperature is either ramped or held constant
- Good, general purpose mode
- Measure compression modulus
Expansion
Expansion
- Sample is measured on a flat stage with a flat or hemispherical probe
- Determine coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)
- Measure glass transition (Tg)
Penetration
Penetration
- Uses extended tip probe
- Facilitates higher stress on the sample
- Provides precise measurement of softening temperature Tg and melting
- Provides for measurements of coatings without removal from substrate
3-Point Bending
3-Point Bending
- Also known as flexture
- Sample is supported at the ends, deflected in the middle
- Represents fundamentally “pure” deformation as clamping effects are eliminated
- Primarily used with stiff materials, and for temperature distortion measurements
- Special low-friction metallic anvil available for dynamic measurements
Tension
Tension
- Primarily used for films and fibres
- Measure CTE, Tg, softening temperature, curing, crosslinking, shrinkage force
- Provides for mini-tensile testing
- Dynamic tests can be performed to measure viscoelastic properties (e.g. E’, E”, tan)
5 Year Warranty on Cells and Furnaces- We surveyed 2500 customers and here’s what they said about TA…
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