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Two makers of thermal-analysis instruments last year launched new differential scanning calorimeters that reportedly increase speed and accuracy. DSC measures thermal properties of materials, such as melting point, Tg, oxidative stability of thermoplastics, and cure times and temperatures of thermosets.

 TA Instruments Inc., New Castle, Del., launched its Q Series DSC devices with new "Tzero" technology. This involves use of a third thermocouple to allow the instrument to calibrate the sample and reference thermocouples independently. No external calibration device is needed. This arrangement improves accuracy and measures smaller transitions than other devices, TA says. It's reportedly the only model on the market that uses a third thermocouple this way. Typically, the third thermocouple just controls chamber temperature.

Meanwhile, Thermo Haake of Germany, which recently relocated its U.S. office to Madison, Wis., introduced the Sieta-1 DSC instrument, which it distributes for Seiko Instruments of Japan. It uses a hybrid DSC method that combines heat-flux and power-compensation signals. Combining the two reportedly gives faster response and a flatter baseline for data.