Crucibles for thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12480853-B2
Application number	US-202117488074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2021
Priority date	Sep 28, 2021
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A crucible for a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) system can include a side wall defining a crucible opening, and a base enclosed by side wall and opposite the crucible opening. The base and side wall form an interior volume configured to hold a material for thermogravimetric analysis. The base can include a base shape configured to prevent a center of mass of the material within the crucible from shifting during thermogravimetric analysis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A crucible for a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) system, comprising:
a side wall defining a crucible opening; and a base enclosed by the side wall and opposite the crucible opening, the base and side wall defining a cylindrical interior volume configured to hold a material for thermogravimetric analysis, wherein the base includes a base shape configured to prevent a center of mass of the material within the crucible from shifting during thermogravimetric analysis, wherein the base shape is or includes a convex shape centered relative to the interior volume to medialize the material within the interior volume, wherein the base shape has a convex side that forms part of the interior volume.

2 . The crucible of claim 1 , wherein the base shape is completely conical within the side wall.

3 . The crucible of claim 2 , wherein the base includes a flat underside.

4 . The crucible of claim 3 , wherein the base is solid.

5 . A crucible for a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) system, comprising:
a side wall defining a crucible opening; and a base enclosed by the side wall and opposite the crucible opening, the base and side wall forming an interior volume configured to hold a material for thermogravimetric analysis, wherein the base includes a base shape configured to prevent a center of mass of the material within the crucible from shifting during thermogravimetric analysis, wherein the base shape is or includes a convex shape to medialize the material within the interior volume, wherein the base shape has a convex side that forms part of the interior volume, wherein the base shape is completely conical within the side wall, wherein the base is hollow such that the base defines a support wall and an open bottom to reduce mass per unit volume of the crucible.

6 . The crucible of claim 5 , wherein the conical base shape has an apex, wherein the apex of the conical base shape is coincident with a base plane defined by a bottom of the support wall.

7 . The crucible of claim 2 , wherein the conical base shape includes a half angle of about 60 degrees.

8 . The crucible of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a holding feature extending upwardly from a planar surface of the base toward the crucible opening configured to resist lateral motion of the material within the crucible.

9 . The crucible of claim 8 , wherein the holding feature includes a conical shape.

10 . A crucible for a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) system, comprising:
a side wall defining a crucible opening; and a base enclosed by the side wall and opposite the crucible opening, the base and side wall forming an interior volume configured to hold a material for thermogravimetric analysis, wherein the base includes a base shape configured to prevent a center of mass of the material within the crucible from shifting during thermogravimetric analysis, wherein the base includes a holding feature extending from the base toward the crucible opening configured to resist lateral motion of the material within the crucible, wherein the holding feature includes a solid cylinder.

11 . A crucible for a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) system, comprising:
a side wall defining a crucible opening; and a base enclosed by the side wall and opposite the crucible opening, the base and side wall forming an interior volume configured to hold a material for thermogravimetric analysis, wherein the base includes a base shape configured to prevent a center of mass of the material within the crucible from shifting during thermogravimetric analysis, wherein the base includes a holding feature extending from the base toward the crucible opening configured to resist lateral motion of the material within the crucible, wherein the holding feature includes a hollow cylinder.

12 . The crucible of claim 1 , wherein the side wall is cylindrical.

13 . The crucible of claim 1 , wherein the interior volume is about 90 microliters.

14 . The crucible of claim 1 , wherein the crucible is made of aluminum, alumina, platinum, quartz, graphite, or vitreous graphite.

15 . A crucible for thermogravimetric analysis including a shape configured to prevent walking of a material within the crucible during thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to prevent erroneous apparent mass loss readings, the shape defining a cylindrical interior volume, with a base shape that is or includes a convex shape centered relative to the interior volume to medialize the material within the interior volume, wherein the base shape has a convex side that forms part of the interior volume.

16 . The crucible of claim 15 , wherein the base shape includes a conical shaped base.

17 . The crucible of claim 15 , wherein the base shape includes a holding feature extending upwardly from a planar surface of the base shape toward a crucible opening.

18 . A method, comprising:
using a crucible configured to prevent walking of a material within the crucible in a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) system to reduce or eliminate erroneous apparent mass loss readings, wherein the crucible has a shape defining a cylindrical interior volume, with a base shape that is or includes a convex shape centered relative to the interior volume to medialize the material within the interior volume, wherein the base shape has a convex side that forms part of the interior volume.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein using the crucible includes disposing a powder material for testing within the crucible, heating the powder material, and measuring mass change of the powder or sample as a function of time or temperature.

Assignees

• Univ Central Florida Res Found Inc

Inventors

• Romain Gaume
• Julian Matthew

Classifications

• B01L2300/0832

  cylindrical, tube shaped · CPC title

• B01L2300/0851

  Bottom walls · CPC title

• B01L3/04

  Crucibles · CPC title

• G01N5/04 Primary

  by removing a component, e.g. by evaporation, and weighing the remainder · CPC title

• G01N25/00 Primary

  Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means (G01N3/00 - G01N23/00 take precedence) · CPC title