Abstract
The thermovoltaic detection (TVD) technique is based on measurement of the EMF generated by two dissimilar metal electrodes in contact with the specimen. This technique has recently been applied when investigating different types of materials involving thermal decomposition reactions which have more normally been studied by conventional thermal analysis techniques, such as DTA, TG, etc. This paper reports the application of the combined TVD and DTA techniques for thermal characterization of materials. The Harrop DTA system has been modified such that measurements by the two techniques can be made simultaneously in the same environment. Data have been obtained on different types of materials, e.g., NiSO,.6H,O and CoSO,.7H,O, etc., at a programmed heating rate of 10” C rnin- ‘. Results obtained by these techniques are discussed and compared with the corresponding values in the literature.