Thermoanalytical methods

Thermal analysis is the term applied to a group of methods and techniques in

which chemical or physical properties of a substance, a mixture of substances or
reaction mixture are measured as function of temperature or time, while the
substance are subjected to a controlled temperature program.

Thermoanalytical methods in pharmaceutical technology

These methods are useful in:
✓ Prediction of drug-excipient compatibility,
✓ Studies of solid-dispersion systems,
✓ Analysis of enantiomers and racemates,
✓ Measurement of the time of tablet disintegration,
✓ Analysis of drug formulations and
✓ Studies of the processes of grinding and drying of drugs
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
Thermogravimetric analysis or thermal gravimetric analysis is a method of
thermal analysis in which the mass of a sample is measured over time as the
temperature changes. It is used to determine a material's thermal stability and its
fraction of volatile components by monitoring the weight change that occurs as a
sample is heated at a constant rate.
Derivative thermogravimetry (DTG)
Derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) is a type of thermal analysis in which the rate
of material weight changes upon heating is plotted against temperature and used
to simplify reading the weight versus temperature thermogram peaks which occur
close together.
Differential thermal analysis (DTA)
Differential thermal analysis is a thermoanalytical technique that is similar to
differential scanning calorimetry. In DTA, the material under study and an inert
reference are made to undergo identical thermal cycles, while recording any
temperature difference between sample and reference.
Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a thermoanalytical technique in which
the difference in the amount of heat required to increase the temperature of a
sample and reference is measured as a function of temperature. Both the sample
and reference are maintained at nearly the same temperature throughout the
experiment.
Evolved gas analysis (EGA)
EGA is a technique in which the nature and/or amount of volatile product
released by a substance subjected to a controlled temperature program is
determined.
Transient thermal analysis (TTA)
A transient thermal analysis calculates temperatures and fluxes in your model
over a particular time range, for example; the time your model takes to heat up or
cool down, the way your model might respond to a time-dependent heat load or
bulk temperature or the thermal stresses that develop as a result of temperature
changes in your model.
Thermal conductivity (k)
Thermal conductivity refers to the intrinsic ability of a material to transfer or
conduct heat. It is one of the three methods of heat transfer, the other two being
convection and radiation. It is given by the formula,
𝑄𝑑
𝑘=
𝐴∆𝑇
Where,
k= thermal conductivity
Q= amount of heat transferred
d= distance between two isothermal planes
A= area of the surface
ΔT= change in temperature