o The DSC should be of the Heat Flux design whereby the sample and reference are measured in the same furnace on separate stages. o The baseline flatness (-50 to 300°C) must be <5 µW. The baseline repeatability (-50 to 300°C) must be <10 µW. This should be done without baseline subtractions or post-test desmearing, deconvolution, or other manipulation. o Temperature accuracy must be within ±0.025°C. o Temperature precision must be within ±0.005°C. o The heat flow digital resolution must be at least 0.001 µW. o The indium response ratio must be >100 (height to width ratio of an indium melting peak). This should be achieved without post-test de-smearing, deconvolution, or other manipulation. o The instrument should cover a temperature range of -90 to 550°C using a refrigerated cooling system that eliminates the need for liquid nitrogen. o The DSC must include at least a 54-position autosampler capable of loading and unloading the sample and reference pans. o Data files must contain measured sensor temperature, not calculated temperature. This allows the user to measure accurate and precise transition temperature and to know the actual temperature of the sample during different heating rate experiments. o The DSC cell should include integrated, temperature-controlled electronics for stable signal processing. o The DSC should employ area temperature detectors directly beneath the sample and reference positions, not platinum resistance thermometers or thermopiles...
