Thermal analysis of polymeric materials

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Thermal analysis is a longstanding technique that has faced neglect due to slow advancements in measurement methods and insufficient teaching of its fundamentals. Polymers, identified in 1920 as flexible, linear macromolecules, have not been fully integrated into the fields of science and engineering. This work aims to educate readers on thermal analysis and the properties of all materials, including flexible macromolecules, small molecules, and rigid macromolecules. Utilizing thermal analysis as a macroscopic tool, it connects results to microscopic molecular structure and motion. The core of quantitative science lies in measurements of heat and mass, with macroscopic heat linked to atomic motion and mass to atomic structure. The joule and gram serve as the macroscopic units, easily perceived by human senses, while the picosecond and ångstrom represent microscopic scales. The significant difference in scale—10,000 times—between atomic units and their human counterparts may explain the greater interest in material structure, as it aligns more closely with human experience compared to molecular motion. This resource seeks to bridge the gap in understanding and application of thermal analysis in relation to various materials.