What is Thermogravimetric Analysis?

Composites, Fine & Specialty Chemicals, Food Products, Pharmaceuticals, Polymers, Thermal Analysis

A testament to the march of scientific inquiry, thermogravimetry emerged through the integration of three individual inventions in the 19th and 20th centuries: the electric furnace, the thermocouple, and the microbalance. As a cornerstone of material science, chemistry, and various other industries, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) has since developed in leaps and bounds. Today, TA Instruments are leading the way in TGA, and we welcome you to join us as we explore the workings and applications of this groundbreaking technique.

Viscometer vs Rheometer: Discover Why a Rheometer Offers More Than Just Viscosity Measurement

Polymers, Rheology

If you’re working with materials that can be flowed, for example within pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, or petrochemical industries, it’s likely that there is a viscometer in the laboratory that is the go-to instrument for formulation testing or QA purposes. However, does this viscometer give you the whole picture and fully meet all your needs?

What Your Material Specification Sheet Doesn’t Tell You

Mechanical Testing, Polymers, Thermal Analysis

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.

Linear Viscoelastic Region: Why It’s Crucial in Materials Testing

Engineered Materials, Food Products, Mechanical Testing, Pharmaceuticals, Polymers, Rheology

Our world is brimming with viscoelastic materials: The dough you knead before baking a fresh loaf, the Silly Putty your toddler slaps against the wall, the rubber gaskets that create an airtight seal on an airplane door. Testing those materials by applying controlled deformations (strains) or forces (stresses) at various timescales, temperatures, and/or humidities allows for the optimization of properties and ensures durability and safety.

Close up of granulated plastic waste on a recycling plant for pl

Characterization Considerations when Sourcing PCR

Polymers, Rheology, Thermal Analysis

Against the backdrop of a plastic waste crisis, the global demand for plastic is set to quadruple by 2060. This has driven a shift toward sustainability and away from linear use models of plastic production. Post-consumer resin (PCR) has emerged as a key player in circular economy initiatives, though ensuring the quality and performance of PCR requires several characterization considerations.

Rheology of Hydrogels

Elastomers, Polymers, Rheology

Hydrogels are three-dimensional porous strctures that can absorb large amounts of water. They can be made up of polymers, protein, peptides, colloids, surfactants, or lipids.1 Hydrogels’ ability to uptake large amounts of water is useful for many biological applications, including drug delivery and tissue engineering. Since a hydrogels’ properties change as it absorbs water, scientists must accurately characterize its behavior at different saturation amounts and in varying conditions.