High-sensitivity differential scanning calorimeter

差示扫描量热法（DSC）测量热流与温度的函数关系，是检测和表征各种材料（包括液晶和聚合物）相变的标准方法。 聚合物材料的表征还包括玻璃化转变温度的测定，这通常需要具有优异基线稳定性的高灵敏度DSC。本文提出的研究包括（i）设计用于铁电液晶显示器应用的新液晶材料，其在从液相冷却时不产生光学缺陷，（ii）开发具有改进的粘附性、可涂性和可溶解性性质的新商品共聚物，以及（iii）具有由嵌段分离和自组装产生的微米和纳米结构的三嵌段和四嵌段共聚物的设计。 高灵敏度DSC支持的研究的潜在应用包括用于彩色取景器和高清电视的高分辨率液晶显示器，用于药物输送的聚合物以及高性能润滑剂的添加剂。在所有情况下，常规使用高灵敏度DSC仪器是必不可少的。新仪器将是一套用于材料表征的仪器的一部分，有助于HQP的多学科培训，这受到加拿大高科技，聚合物和特种化学品行业雇主的高度重视。

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measures heat flow as a function of temperature and is a standard method to detect and characterize phase transitions in a variety of materials, including liquid crystals and polymers. The characterization of polymeric materials also includes the determination of glass transition temperatures, which normally requires a high-sensitivity DSC with excellent baseline stability. The research proposed herein includes (i) the design of new liquid crystalline materials for ferroelectric liquid crystal display applications that do not produce optical defects upon cooling from the liquid phase, (ii) the development of new commodity copolymers with improved adhesion, paintability and miscibility properties, and (iii) the design of tri- and tetrablock copolymers with micro- and nanostructures arising from block segregation and self-assembly. Potential applications of the research supported by a high-sensitivity DSC include high-resolution liquid crystal displays for color viewfinders and high-definition TV, polymers for drug delivery, and additives for high-performance lubricants. In all cases, routine access to a high-sensitivity DSC instrument is essential. The new instrument will be part of a suite of instrumentation for the characterization of materials that contribute to a multidisciplinary training of HQP that is highly valued by employers in the Canadian high-tech, polymers and specialty chemicals industries.