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Use of multiple heating rates DSC to determine the specific heat capacity
T. Kousksou, A. Jamil and Y. Zeraouli
A new technique to improve the accuracy of the Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) for the measurement of the specific heat capacity has been proposed. This technique is based on the use of multiple heating rates DSC. The effect of the heating rate and the sample mass on the heat capacity measurement is also discussed. Heat capacities of various materials have been determined using the proposed method. Further, the heat capacities of these materials have also been determined using the widely employed method three-step taking sapphire as the heat flux calibration standard. It is found that both methods yielded the comparable heat capacity values. Based on the parameters investigated and their influence, it could be concluded that reasonably precise and accurate heat capacity measurements are possible with DSC. One advantage of the proposed method is to avoid the influence of different heat transfer conditions which is unavoidable when using the “classical” methods of heat capacity determination.
Keywords: DSC; heat capacity; temperature and heat flux; multiple heating rates.