Sample Controlled Thermal Analysis

In conventional thermal analysis, a sample is subjected to pre-determined heating programme, typically a linear rising ramp. Although simple in concept, the use of linear heating causes temperature gradients across the sample, arising from the conduction of heat from the external furnace, and concentration gradients, arising from the diffusion of reaction or product gases into or out of the sample. These gradients result in non-uniform reaction conditions throughout the sample leading to loss of resolution of thermally adjacent processes.