Light or laser flash is a crucial measurement technique used to determine the thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity of materials. This method is useful in characterizing the heat transfer and storage properties of a variety of materials, providing essential information about material composition and structure. Light/Laser flash is the most effective method for measuring thermal diffusivity over a wide range of temperatures and offers non-destructive material testing with accurate, reproducible results. The Xenon and Laser Flash instruments generate high-energy Laser or Xenon pulse sources and use a PIN contact detector or non-contact IR detector to measure the resulting temperature rise. The selection of the ideal source and detector depends on various factors such as sample morphology, dimensions, expected thermal conductivity, and measurement temperature range.
TA Instruments Discovery Flash product line offers the most compelling range of benchtop and floor-standing flash diffusivity analyzers, enabling the analysis of a wide array of material forms and providing true measurements without the need for extrapolation. TA Instruments’ proprietary light flash technology, combined with full time pulse mapping, precision optics, and the latest data analysis models, make the Discovery Flash platform the most versatile, accurate and precise light flash system of its kind. It offers measurement capabilities over the broadest temperature range from -175°C up to 2800°C and multiple source and detector options. Additionally, a variety of sample holders and fixtures allow for in-plane measurement of thin-films, through-plane analysis of thick samples, and metals through their melt transition. Every system includes a multiple specimen autosampler that provides a several times increase in productivity and accuracy of specific heat capacity results. The Discovery Flash platform is an ideal choice for non-destructive material testing, providing reliable and reproducible results for a wide range of applications.
DLF 2800 | DLF 1600 | DLF 1200 | DXF 900 | DXF 500 | DXF 200+ | |
Source | ||||||
Type | Class 1Nd: Glass, Floor-standing | Class 1Nd: Glass, Floor-standing | Class 1Nd: Glass, Benchtop | Benchtop | Benchtop | Xenon, Benchtop |
Pulse Energy (Variable) | Up to 35 Joules | Up to 35 Joules | Up to 17 Joules | Variable up to 15 Joules | Variable up to 15 Joules | Variable up to 15 Joules |
Pulse Width | 300 µs to 400 µsec | 300 µs to 400 µsec | 300 µs to 400 µsec | 400 µs to 600 µsec | 400 µs to 600 µsec | 400 µs to 600 µsec |
Proprietary Transfer Optics | Fiber Optic Wand | Fiber Optic Wand | Optic Beam Guide | Patented Light Pipe Beam Guide | Patented Light Pipe Beam Guide | Light Pipe Beam Guide |
Furnace | ||||||
Temperature Range | RT to 2800°C | RT to 1600°C | RT to 1200°C | RT to 900°C | RT to 500°C | -175°C to 200°C |
Atmosphere | Inert, vacuum (50 mtorr) | Air, inert, vacuum (50 mtorr) | Air, inert, vacuum (50 mtorr) | Air, inert, Max. vacuum (50 mtorr) | Air, inert, Max. vacuum (50 mtorr) | Air, inert, vacuum (50 mtorr) |
Detection | ||||||
Thermal Diffusivity Range | 0.01 to 1000 mm2/s | 0.01 to 1000 mm2/s | 0.01 to 1000 mm2/s | 0.01 to 1000 mm2/s | 0.01 to 1000 mm2/s | 0.01 to 1000 mm2/s |
Thermal Conductivity Range | 0.1 to 2000 W/(m*K) | 0.1 to 2000 W/(m*K) | 0.1 to 2000 W/(m*K) | 0.1 to 2000 W/(m*K) | 0.1 to 2000 W/(m*K) | 0.1 to 2000 W/(m*K) |
Data Acquisition | - | 16 bit | 16 bit | 16 bit | 16 bit | 16 bit |
Accuracy | ||||||
Thermal Diffusivity | ±2.3% | ±2.3% | ±2.3% | ±2.3% | ±2.3% | ±2.3% |
Thermal Conductivity | ±4% | ±4% | ±4% | ±4% | ±4% | ±4% |
Repeatability | ||||||
Thermal Diffusivity | ±2.0% | ±2.0% | ±2.0% | ±2.0% | ±2.0% | ±2.0% |
Thermal Conductivity | ±3.5% | ±3.5% | ±3.5% | ±3.5% | ±3.5% | ±3.5% |
Sample | ||||||
Round | 8, 10, & 12.7 mm Diameter | 8, 10, 12.7, & 15.9 mm Diameter | 8, 10, 12.7, & 25.4 mm Diameter | 8, 10, 12.7, & 25.4 mm Diameter | 8, 10, 12.7, & 25.4 mm Diameter | 8, 10, 12.7, & 25.4 mm Diameter |
Square | 8 & 10 mm length | 8 & 10 mm length | 8 & 10 mm length | 8, 10, & 12.7 mm length | 8, 10, & 12.7 mm length | 8, 10, & 12.7 mm length |
Maximum Thickness | 10 mm | 10 mm | 10 mm | 10 mm | 10 mm | 10 mm |
Autosampler |
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Type | Six-Position Carousel | Five-Position Carousel | Four-Position Linear Tray | Four-Position Tray, inert, Max. vacuum 50mtorr |
Four-Position Tray, inert, Max. vacuum 50mtorr |
Twelve-Position Carousel |
The Discovery Laser Flash DLF 2800 is an advanced freestanding instrument for the measurement of thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity of materials from room temperature to 2800°C. The distinctive design incorporates a proprietary laser, laser optics, detector, and furnace technologies, and along with the unique six-position sample carousel, ensures unprecedented measurement accuracy and sample throughput. With the ability to operate in a variety of atmospheric conditions, including inert gas or under vacuum, the DLF 2800 can characterize a wide variety of materials, including polymers, ceramics, carbons, graphite, composites, glasses, metals, and alloys.
The Discovery Laser Flash DLF 1600 is an advanced freestanding instrument for the measurement of thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity of materials from room temperature to 1600°C. The distinctive design incorporates a proprietary laser, laser optics, detector, and furnace technologies, and along with the unique patented high purity alumina five-position sample carousel, ensures unprecedented measurement accuracy and sample throughput. With the ability to be operated in a variety of atmospheric conditions, including air, inert gas, or under vacuum, the DLF 1600 can characterize a wide variety of materials including polymers, ceramics, carbons, graphite, composites, glasses, metals, and alloys.
The Discovery Laser Flash DLF 1200 is a compact benchtop instrument for the measurement of thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity of materials from room temperature to 1200˚C. It features a proprietary laser source with 17 Joules of energy for testing of the widest range of samples under the most demanding conditions. Productivity is no problem with the four-sample tray design. It is the only benchtop light flash instrument available with a laser pulse source for enhanced precision, accuracy and capabilities beyond competitive Xenon light source designs.
The Discovery Xenon Flash DXF 900 platform features a patented High-Speed Xenon-pulse Delivery™ source (HSXD) and an anamorphic multi-faceted Light Pipe™. Together, these optics deliver a light pulse of unsurpassed power and uniform intensity to the specimen, while preventing sample holder over-flash. The TA Instruments High-energy Xenon design is capable of testing samples up to a diameter of 25.4 mm over a temperature range from ambient to 900°C. The use of large samples diminishes errors associated with inhomogeneity and permits representative measurements of poorly dispersed composites. The DXF platform is designed for research and development programs as well as production control.
The Discovery Xenon Flash DXF 500 platform features a patented High-Speed Xenon-pulse Delivery™ source (HSXD) and an anamorphic multi-faceted Light Pipe™. Together, these optics deliver a light pulse of unsurpassed power and uniform intensity to the specimen, while preventing sample holder over-flash. The TA Instruments High-energy Xenon design is capable of testing samples up to a diameter of 25.4 mm over a temperature range from ambient to 500°C. The use of large samples diminishes errors associated with inhomogeneity and permits representative measurements of poorly dispersed composites. The DXF platform is designed for research and development programs as well as production control.
The Discovery Xenon Flash 200+ features a patented High Speed Xenon-Pulse Delivery™ source (HSXD) and a multi-faceted Light Pipe™. Together these optics deliver a light pulse of unsurpassed power and uniform intensity to the specimen while preventing sample holder overflash. Only TA Instruments high energy Xenon design is capable of testing samples to a diameter of 25.4 mm over a temperature range from -175 °C to 900 °C. The use of large samples diminishes errors associated with inhomogeneity and permits representative measurements of poorly dispersed composites. The DXF platform is designed for research and development programs as well as production control.