Optical is Better: The Future of Thermal Analysis

Old constraints of the traditional mechanical thermal analysis are finally overcome and a complete thermo-mechanical analysis up to 1600°C is now possible with just one equipment: the combined Heating Microscope and Optical Dilatometer MISURA®.

The versatility of this equipment continues to allow an unrivalled material testing variedness:

• the Optical Dilatometer can measure the sintering kinetics and the thermal expansion of any kind of materials in a wide temperature range, over the dilatometric softening even for transparent materials. It means there are no technical limitations for possible applications in all material classes.

• the Heating Microscope is applied for studying the softening, melting and fusion behaviour of the materials in traditional and advanced ceramic industry, glass industry, power plants, metallurgical sector and, generally, in all fields where the melting behaviour of materials  has to be determined.

A full understanding of the physical-chemical behaviour of these materials is often out of reach of technologists because of the inherent complexity of materials involved (glazes, frits, ashes, coals, slags, raw materials and ceramic bodies…), so this combined equipment continues to be an extremely useful tool thanks to an advanced computerised image analysis allowing to rapidly transform images provided by the equipment into valuable and high accurate information.

Misura® equipment can reach heating rates from 0.1 to 80°C per minute and are therefore able to reproduce the thermal stresses that actually occur in industrial processes.

Unlike traditional mechanical dilatometers where the sample is contained inside a measuring system which itself expands with temperature and it is necessary to apply a calibration curve, our optical equipment are able to measure the absolute expansion of samples thanks to the double beam optical system, and allow to realize precise measurements even on very low CTE materials.

Equally, the new FLASH heating make the equipment able to simulate very fast industrial firing cycles, like those involved in continuous casting powders or enamels where the maximum temperature is reached in a few seconds.

With the continuous purpose to meet customers’ needs with the latest technology available and customized solutions, Misura® line continue to represent one of the most effective and helpful tool for technicians working in a wide range of industrial fields.