Reference material for temperature calibration of differential scanning calorimeters above 1400 °C

Abstract

Platinum crucible pans are widely used for differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at temperatures above the aluminum melting point (about 660 °C) due to good signal quality, chemical inertness and easiness of cleaning. However, reference materials commonly used for the calibration of DSC equipment operating with platinum pans exhibit phase transition temperatures no higher than about 1000 °C. In this work, the solid–solid, reversible, $$\alpha ^{\prime }_{\mathrm{H}}\rightarrow \alpha$$ phase transition of calcio-olivine, $$\hbox {Ca}_{2}\hbox {SiO}_{4},$$ was found to produce a marked DSC peak with an onset temperature of $$1453^{+1}_{-2}\,^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$ and a relatively small hysteresis. This compound is compatible with platinum crucibles and fulfills the requirements to be used as reference material for high-temperature calibration of differential scanning calorimeters.