Department of Materials Science and Engineering

The Thermal Mechanical Analyzer (TMA) is used to measure the change in deformation of a sample under a non-oscillating load as a function or time or temperature. The TMA can be useful in determining the coefficient of thermal expansion, softening, sintering and the glass transition temperature of a material. A cylidrical sample is typically used and placed in the sample holder and then a probe is lowered to touch the sample. A high quality furnace is then raised around the sample holder and probe. As the temperature changes the change in dimension of the sample is recorded by the probes position. The measurements may also be taken at a constant temperature and the dimensional changes recorded as a function of time.