Thermogravimetric analysis:

• Thermogravimetric (TG) is a branch of thermal analysis examining the mass changes of a sample as a function off temperature (in the scanning mode) or as a function of time (in the isothermal mode).

• Thermal gravimetric analysis or thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a method of thermal analysis in which changes in physical and chemical properties of materials are measured as a function of increasing temperature (with constant heating rate), or as a function of time (with constant temperature and/or constant mass loss).

• Changes in the mass of a sample due to various thermal events (desorption, absorption, sublimation, vaporization, oxidation, reduction and decomposition) are studied while the sample is subjected to a program of change in temperature. Therefore, it is used in the analysis of volatile products, gaseous products lost during the reaction in thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, composites, films, fibers, coatings, paints, etc.

• There are different types of TGA available:

i. Isothermal or Static TGA: In this case, sample is maintained at a constant temperature for a period of time during which change in weight is recorded.

ii. Quasi-static TGA: In this technique, the sample is heated to a constant weight at each of a series of increasing temperature.

iii. Dynamic TGA: In this type of analysis, the sample is subjected to condition of a continuous increase in temperature at a constant heating rate, i.e., usually linear with time.