ASTM E1131

TGA ANALYSIS TESTING SERVICES

Purpose: Measure the weight percentage of volatile components, combustible matter, and ash in a sample by continuously weighing the sample as it is heated through temperatures of up to 1000°C.

Sample: One (1) gram but each individual run uses 10 to 30 milligrams.

Price & Delivery: Contact us for a quote.

Basic Description: This instrument is basically a sophisticated ash content test and is useful in measuring the inorganic filler content of plastics. TGA analysis continuously weighs a sample to the nearest millionth of a gram as it is heated to temperatures of up to 1000°C. As the temperature is increased, various components of the sample burn off and the weight percentage of each can be measured. Results are in the form of a graph with temperature plotted on the X-Axis and weight percentage plotted on the Y-Axis. A typical TGA scan looks similar to a staircase with each step representing a different compound. Our typical run is to ramp at 10°C per minute to 700°C in nitrogen followed by 10°C per minute to 900°C in air. Highly volatile matter is the material that burns off in nitrogen between ambient and 150°C. Medium volatile matter is the material that burns off in nitrogen between 150°C and 700°C. Combustible matter is the material that burns off in air but not in nitrogen at 700°C. Ash content is the material left at 900°C in air.

Limitations: The weight percentage of each component is measured but not identified by this method. Other techniques such as EDS Analysis and FTIR Analysis (ASTM E1252) are used to identify the components present in a sample. The sample size is small so the measurements can vary a lot for samples that are not uniform on a microscopic basis. Muffle furnace (ASTM D2584) techniques are recommended for non-uniform samples. Measurements are made to the nearest 0.1% and are accurate to something less than 1%.

Equipment: TA Instruments, Q500 Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) with autosampler.

Method Publisher: https://www.astm.org/e1131-20.html

Keywords:

  • TGA Analysis
  • Thermogravimetric Analyzer
  • Filler Content
  • Volatile Content
  • Ash Content