Selecting Pans for Melting Point Analysis?

Unclear or rounded melting peaks make it tough to distinguish polymer quality. Poor pan choice, wrong seal, or mismatched size hides true transition behavior in DSC runs.

For melting point analysis, I use hermetically sealed, small, and flat high-purity aluminum pans. This combination prevents vapor loss and delivers the highest peak sharpness for melting transitions.

 

Melting Point Analysis: Pan Selection Table

Pan Feature	Reason to Use	Best For	Source
Hermetic seal	Stops loss of volatiles	Low-mass, solvent-rich polymers	Polymer Journal
Small, flat shape	Reduces heat lag, sharper melting	Pure or blended polymer powder	ScienceDirect
99.99% pure Al	No side reactions	Diverse polymer libraries	Instrument manual

I always check pan fit and seal before loading. With small, hermetic high-purity pans, I get clear melting points across all polymer samples in routine and advanced R&D.

 

Best Pans for Crystallization Studies?

Split, broad, or inconsistent crystallization peaks bring doubt to polymer thermal analysis. An ill-fitted or open pan lets gases escape, reducing clarity for additive-heavy or semi-crystalline samples.

For crystallization, I select medium-depth high-purity aluminum pans with semi-hermetic or vented lids that allow gas escape but keep solid samples contained. This reveals sharp exothermic peaks for crystallization events.

 

Crystallization Pan Guide Table

Pan Choice	Lid Style	Advantage	Polymer Target	Resource
Medium-depth, 99.99% Al	Vented/semi-hermetic	Prevents pressure build-up	Polymer blend, copolymer	Nature
Wide opening	Open or snap-fit	Allows slow cooling	Crystallizable polyolefins	Instrument catalog

I track onset and area of crystallization peaks across several runs, using pans matched to the specific polymer class. Good venting and size lead to higher data consistency every time.

 

Choosing Pans for Glass Transition Temperature Measurements?

Weak glass transition (Tg) signals are easy to lose if the pan adds background noise or does not offer tight contact. Many errors in Tg mapping come from pan choices, not polymers.

I use thin-wall, uniform-mass, high-purity aluminum pans for Tg measurement—preferably with easy-press or flat lids. Their even heating and minimal noise give clear baseline steps for weak glass transitions.

 

Glass Transition Pan Selection Table

Pan Attribute	Impact on Tg Data	Recommended For	Reference
Thin wall	Rapid baseline response	Non-crystalline samples	ScienceDirect
Consistent mass	Precision, reduces scatter	Repeatable QA samples	Lab SOP
Flat lid	Fastest ramp rates, cleanest baseline	Routine glass transition mapping	Instrument manual

I verify wall thickness and mass from pan certifications. Consistency in pan parameters means quality, reproducible Tg results for all routine or problem-study polymers.

 

Considering Sample Volume and Pan Size?

Using excess polymer causes overflow; too little gives noisy or low peaks. The volume and internal dimensions of each pan must match typical and specialty sample needs.

For microgram-level samples, I choose small pans (5–20 μL). Bulkier blends with weak transitions require larger-volume high-purity pans. Seal strength affects safety and retention for risky or expanding samples.

 

Pan Size and Sample Volume Table

Pan Capacity	Recommended Sample Mass	Polymer Application	Benefit	Source
Micro (5–20 μL)	0.3–2 mg	Expensive or R&D batch	Peak clarity for limited sample	Instrument manual
Standard (30–50 μL)	3–10 mg	Routine QA	Consistent operator handling	ScienceDirect
Large (80–100+ μL)	15–30 mg	Weak/heterogeneous blends	Good S/N, prevents overflow	DSC wiki

I set sample mass limits and select pans based on polymer type, cost, and expected transition. Good pan practice optimizes data, no matter the polymer or volume.