High-sensitivity differential scanning calorimeter

差示扫描量热仪(DSC)测量热流随温度的变化，是检测和表征包括液晶和聚合物在内的各种材料相变的标准方法。聚合物材料的表征还包括玻璃化转变温度的测定，这通常需要具有良好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的新型液晶材料，这种材料在从液态冷却时不会产生光学缺陷；(Ii)开发具有更好的粘附性、涂装性和相容性的新型商品共聚物；以及(Iii)设计具有嵌段分离和自组装的微纳结构的三嵌段和四嵌段共聚物。由高灵敏度DSC支持的这项研究的潜在应用包括用于彩色取景器和高清晰度电视的高分辨率液晶显示器、用于药物输送的聚合物以及用于高性能润滑剂的添加剂。在所有情况下，常规接触高灵敏度的DSC仪器都是必不可少的。新仪器将是一套材料表征仪器的一部分，这些仪器有助于对HQP进行多学科培训，加拿大高科技、聚合物和特种化学品行业的雇主高度重视这种培训。

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.