Microscopy of Thermal Processes

Microscopy analysis for chemicals, materials, and products under changing temperatures.

Intertek microscopy experts have extensive thermal and materials science experience. We understand the thermal processes that control microstructures and ultimately how these microstructures influence product properties.

Intertek's microscopy team members work closely with our thermal analysis team colleagues. This integrated approach allows customers to access broad micro-thermal processing capabilities which bring improvements in the processing of foodstuffs, engineering plastics, films, adhesives, specialty chemicals and many other products.

A microstructure that performs well at room temperature can change and cause catastrophic processing problems below freezing or at elevated temperatures. These materials often have a "thermal history" locked into them from previous processing operations and the control of this thermal history can be quite crucial to product performance.

Hot and Cold stage microscopy plays a crucial role in investigating how structure and property relationships depend on variations in temperature. Hot and Cold stage microcsopy includes Confocal for phase distribution studies and Polarised Light Microscopy for the assessment of crystallization processes,

The combination of thermal analysis, the microscopy of thermal processes and digital time-lapse imaging provides research scientists and process engineers with a valuable insight into the structure–property changes they must control in order to produce successful products.

Examples of microscopy applied with thermal analysis: 

• Identification of crucial parameters driving the crystallisation of hot-melt adhesive systems
• Thermal characteristics of "contaminant" gels leading to identification of root causes and reduction of gel particles in polymer fibres
• Investigations into moulding defects caused by inhomogeneous polymer cross contamination and its influence on melt-out properties
• Determination of ice crystal growth rates in food products and the influence of this on texture
• Micro-analysis: determining individual particle melting point characteristics as a problem-solving tool
• Characterisation of freeze, cloud point and crystallisation processes in fluids and the effect of crystal habit modifiers on crystal formation

Applications of thermal microscopy techniques: 

• Determination of purity
• Analysis of mixtures
• Investigations into polymorphic transformations
• Rates of crystal and crystal-front growth
• Crystal morphology and crystal habit changes
• Decomposition and degradation processes
• Formation of physical defects such as bubbles, shrinkage cracks and inhomogeneity
• Recrystallisation processes from solution or melt
• Flocculation, or phase dispersion changes
• Thermal history studies on degraded material
• Gel formation and dissolution processes

Contact us to see how Intertek can help your organization with Microscopy of Thermal Processes.