Thermal

For more than three decades, Southern Research has been a national leader in the thermal properties characterization and evaluation of high-temperature materials for a diverse group of clients that includes aerospace, manufacturing, and government. Our experienced professionals have performed tests on a variety of materials, including composites, ceramics, metals, insulations, and lubricants in both normal and extreme environments at temperatures ranging from cryogenic to more than 3000°C.

Thermal properties testing capabilities at Southern Research include:

Thermal Expansion

• Horizontal quartz rod dilatometer (-450 to 2000°F, air, vacuum, inert)
• Graphite tube dilatometer (RT to 5500°F, vacuum, load, inert)
• Cryogenic ring (-320 to 250°F, inert)
• High-temperature ring (RT to 5000°F, inert)
• Yarn/filament/fiber (RT to 5000°F, inert)
• Precision cryogenic thermal expansion (300 K to below 30 K, 10-20 ppb accuracy)

Thermal Conductivity

• ASTM C177 guarded hot plate (-250 to 600°F, vacuum, load, air, inert)
• Comparative rod apparatus (-350 to 2000°F, vacuum, load, air, inert)
• Laser flash diffusivity (RT to 2100°F, vacuum)
• Radial inflow apparatus (1000 to 5000°F, vacuum, load, inert)
• Pressure radial inflow apparatus (70 to 800°F, 15 to 5000 psi atmosphere)
• Thermal conductance as a function of atmospheric conditions
• Non-reactive environments

Heat Capacity

• Adiabatic calorimeter (-450 to 1000°F, air, inert)
• Ice calorimeter (1000 to 5000°F, inert)
• Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
• Standard and modulated mode (-150° to 725°C, air, inert)
• Pressure mode (25 to 725°C, air, inert, 1000 psia)
• High temperature (40 to 1250°C, air, inert, vacuum)

Additional Thermal Testing

• Total normal emittance (1500 to 4500°F, inert)
• Heat-treatment furnaces (max 5750°F inert, max 4300°F air, max 4500°F vacuum)
• Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) (25 to 1000°C, air, inert)
• Dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) (-145 to 600°C, air, inert)

Unique Thermal Testing for Phenolic or Ablative Materials

• Restrained thermal growth (10-30°F/sec heating rates)
• Acetylene torch facility (heat flux of 50-250 Btu/ft2/sec)
• Rapid heating analog

Electrical Resistivity

• High-temperature coupon (RT to 5000°F)
• RT yarn/filament facility
• High-temperature yarn/filament (RT to 5000°F)

Maximum/minimum temperatures are dependent on material type and stability.