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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/M29986/01
Title: THE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF A MICRO-THERMAL ANALYSIS -MASS SPECTROSCOPY (MICRO-TA-MS)INSTRUMENT
Principal Investigator: Hourston, Professor DJ
Other Investigators:
Smith, Professor R Reading, Dr M Pollock, Dr H
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Materials
Organisation: Loughborough University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 April 1999 Ends: 31 March 2001 Value (£): 132,089
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Instrumentation Eng. & Dev. Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
A new technique, micro-Thermal Analysis, based on a modified atomic force microscope, has been created. It can image materials on the basis of their thermal properties (conductivity and diffusivity) and provide 3D structural information through non-destructive depth profiling. It can also characterise the physical properties of a sample through local micro-thermal analysis at any point on a surface. We seek to extend the capabilities of this technique by coupling it to a mass spectrometer and to a GC-MS instrument, thus enabling it also to provide chemical information from the analysis of the highly localised desorption/pyrolysis products. The micro-TA instrument has a proven ability to inject sufficient energy into a local area to cause pyrolysis in polymers. The amount of material evolved is easily within the detection limits of modern mass spectrometers and even GC-MS equipment. An interface will be developed that enables these two instruments to be coupled. Software will be written to implement a variety of sampling modes and methods of analysis. The sensitivity of these modes will be established using model systems. In the final phase of the project, the new technique will be applied to a variety of 'real world' problems that cannot be satisfactorily addressed by existing methods.
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.lboro.ac.uk