The measurement of high-energy materials using DSC is always very difficult. There is a risk that the instrument could be damaged by kinetic effects or corrosion. If such damage occurs, replacing sensors and furnace components is always expensive and, in most cases, requires professional service. With the Linseis Chip-DSC , replacing the sensor with an integrated heater is simple, fast, and can be done by the end user in about 15 minutes.
High-energy materials, such as those used in airbags, as propellants, blasting agents, etc., exhibit a very sharp and high exothermic peak during decomposition. The example shows the DSC measurement of 2.8 mg of airbag initiator (propellant). At the ignition temperature of 280 °C, a very high, sharp peak occurs with an enthalpy value of more than 1 kJ/g. This result is very useful for calculating the required amount of initiator and for obtaining information about the material’s temperature stability.
