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Light or laser flash is a measurement technique used to determine the thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity of materials. Light flash measurements are essential for characterizing the heat transfer and storage properties of a variety of materials, whether the sample of interest is expected to insulate, conduct, or simply withstand temperature changes. Heat transfer property measurements are often used to model heat transport through a system, but also reflect important information about material composition and structure as well as secondary performance characteristics such as tolerance to thermal shock. Light/Laser flash is the most effective method for measuring thermal diffusivity over a wide range of temperatures and offers non-destructive material testing with accurate, reproducible results.
The Xenon and Laser Flash instruments measure the thermal diffusivity or speed of heat transfer through a material by applying a pulse of heat energy on one side of a sample and measuring the time and temperature rise on the backside as a result of that energy input. The resulting thermogram can then be used to determine thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity. The applied energy is generated with TA Discovery Flash instruments proprietary high-energy Laser or Xenon pulse sources and the resulting temperature rise is measured by the industry’s only PIN contact detector or non-contact IR detector. The selection of the ideal source and detector for an application depends on a number of variables including sample morphology, dimensions (l,w,t), expected thermal conductivity, and measurement temperature range.
TA Instruments Discovery Flash product line offers the most compelling range of benchtop and floor-standing flash diffusivity analyzers. Measurement capabilities over the broadest temperature range from -175°C up to 2800°C and multiple source and detector options provide true measurements without the need to extrapolate. A variety of sample holders and fixtures allows for the analysis of a wide array of material forms such as liquids, pastes, and powders as well as in-plane measurement of thin-films, through-plane analysis of thick samples, and metals through their melt transition. Every system includes a multiple specimen autosampler that not only provides several times increase in productivity, but also a significant increase in accuracy of specific heat capacity results. TA Instruments’ proprietary light flash technology, combined with full time pulse mapping, precision optics, and the latest data analysis models, make the Discovery Flash platform the most versatile, accurate and precise light flash system of its kind.
