Colloquia

Summary

Various technologies have been developed in the past decades for producing thermoplastic composites (TPCs), such as stamp forming, injection molding or tape placement. An essential feature that all these manufacturing processes share is that they all rely on heating up and cooling down the material. Unsurprisingly, the thermal properties of TPCs are of great importance for developing optimal process windows for these production techniques. The specific heat capacity plays an important role in determining the heating response of the composite materials.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is the most widely used technique for characterizing the specific heat capacity of an unknown substance. However, a significant challenge persists when it comes to composite materials: the absence of clear measurement guidelines. The lack of standardization leads to inconsistencies and discrepancies in the reported results across different studies, hindering the comparability and reliability of the data.

Based on these challenges, the objective of this graduation assignment is to investigate the influence of measurement parameters including the heating rate and the applied temperature program, as well as the impact of sample types, sample preparations and machine calibration. This project led to the formulation of guidelines and recommendations for more accurate and reliable specific heat capacity measurements for thermoplastic composites.