Meaning
Standard calibration procedures govern the temperature accuracy of differential scanning calorimeters and differential thermal analyzers. Under the astm e967 protocol, this calibration is performed using the melting temperature of reference materials. It provides a reliable benchmark for material science laboratories.
Instrument Calibration
Thermal analyzers measure transition temperatures that depend on heating rates and thermal contact. Applying the astm e967 protocol corrects these values by comparing the observed onset of melting with the certified melting points of high purity standards. This calculation adjusts the temperature scale to ensure consistency across different heating rates.
Regular execution of this procedure is necessary before reporting any regulatory or quality assurance thermal data.
Reference Material
Calibrating thermal analysis equipment requires stable reference materials with well-characterized thermal behavior. Within the astm e967 procedure, high purity metals like indium, tin, or lead are melted under controlled conditions. These materials exhibit sharp, repeatable melting endotherms.
Using materials of lesser purity can lead to broad, inaccurate melting peaks, rendering the calibration invalid.
Operational Boundary
Thermal analysis instruments must operate across a wide range of temperatures and scanning speeds. The astm e967 calibration is valid only for the specific heating rate and atmosphere used during the test. Applying these calibration factors to scans run at different speeds can cause measurement errors.
For this reason, laboratories run separate calibrations for each distinct test configuration to ensure the validity of their material characterization data.
