Fast differential scanning calorimetry of liquid samples with chips

• Fast DSC with liquids in the temperature range −100 °C to +225 °C, at scan rates up to 1000 °C/s.
• Reproducibility of calculated enthalpy values ca ±7%, of peak temperature values ca ±1 °C.
• Resolution for measuring lysozyme denaturation between 0.1% and 1% lysozyme solution in water by weight.
• Measurements for bovine serum show good agreement with DSC results, but typically 1000× faster.
• Results for olive oil give good agreement for the freezing peak, a temperature shift for the melting peak compared to DSC.

Based on a modified version of standard chips for fast differential scanning calorimetry, DSC of liquid samples has been performed at temperature scan rates of up to 1000 °C/s. This paper describes experimental results with the protein lysozyme, bovine serum, and olive oil. The heating and cooling rate of the sensor is measured for temperature scan rates of up to 1300 °C/s with water and 2-butanol, in the temperature range of −90 °C/s to +130 °C/s. The lysozyme is measured at temperature scan rates varying from 10 °C/s to 400 °C/s and in concentrations between 0.1% and 10% protein by weight. The bovine serum measurements show two main peaks, in good agreement with standard DSC measurements. Olive oil has been measured, with good agreement for the cooling curve and qualitative agreement for the heater curve, compared to DSC measurements.