Depending on our interest and availability, we offer analytical services to university, government and commercial researchers including Thermogravimetric Analysis, Water Sorption Analysis and CO2 sequestration potential measurements. Please inquire at eegl@ualberta.ca.
Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
Materials exposed to increasing temperatures decompose to form new materials while gaining or losing mass. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) uses a highly precise scale and furnace to measure the mass change that materials undergo during heating.
Because materials react at different temperatures, a TGA curve can be used to identify and quantify the amounts of different substances in a sample.
Thermogravimetric Analysis with Mass Spectrometry (TGA-MS)
The exhaust gas produced by TGA can be analyzed using Mass Spectrometry to identify and quantify the amounts of gasses (e.g., O2, CO2) produced during thermal decomposition.
Analysis of gas provides additional information about the chemical compositions of materials and can be used to differentiate between materials that would be indistinguishable using normal TGA.
Instrument Specifications
Discovery TGA 5500
IR Furnace (Ambient to 1200°C, 0.1 to 500 °C/min heating rate)
Autosampler (25 samples)
Tru-Mass Balance (0.01 μg, 100 mg weighing range)
Pfeiffer Mass Spectrometer (Mass Range 1-300 amu, sensitivity <100 ppb)
Gravimetric Water Sorption Analysis
Many materials sorb or release water molecules from their surfaces depending on the relative humidity of their environment.
Sorption Analysis (SA) measures a materials’ ability to sorb and desorb water at different temperatures, atmospheric compositions and humidities. In the Earth sciences, SA can be used to measure loss or gain of physisorbed water from mineral surfaces as well as phase changes in hydrous minerals. SA is particularly useful for understanding how much water is needed at a mineral’s surface to trigger crystallization or reactions with gasses. Applications include the study of amorphous phases, hydrated minerals, swelling clays and hygroscopic salts.
SA can also be applied in a variety of other fields, including the development of pharmaceuticals, assessing the shelf life of consumer goods and ensuring quality control in manufacturing.
Instrument Specifications
Discovery Sorption Analyser
Pure Nitrogen Purge Gas
Relative Humidity range 5–95%
Temperature range 25–85°C
Tru-Mass Balance (0.01 μg, 100 mg weighing range)
Autosampler (10 samples)
Pricing
Rates are subject to change. Consultations are not charged.
We can also offer:
(1) Customized TGA and TGA-MS analyses using different temperature ranges, heating rates and atomic mass estimates.
(2) Customized SA analyses using different temperature and humidity ranges, heating rates, humidity increments for sorption and desorption measurements.