The Thermal Methods Research Unit at University of Huddersfield, UK, is using a Linkam DSC450 optical DSC system to demonstrate the value of simultaneous thermal and optical analysis. This study was published in the Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry. The researchers examined phase transitions, oxidation, degradation and reversible colour changes across a range of materials, including rubidium nitrate, silver iodide, polyethylene, PLA and thermochromic inks.

A diverse set of materials was selected for this study. What stands out is how the combination of DSC with thermomicroscopy helped reveal events that would have been difficult to interpret from calorimetry alone. By collecting optical images and reflected light intensity alongside enthalpic data on the same sample at the same time, the study was able to identify subtle morphological changes, clarify complex thermal processes and detect transitions with very small energy changes.

The Linkam DSC450 simultaneously records:

Heat flow (DSC signal)
High-resolution microscopy images
Reflected Light Intensity (RLI)
Controlled temperature history
Controlled atmosphere (N₂, air, etc.)

As a result, every thermal event can be correlated with a visible physical change occurring in the sample at exactly the same moment.

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