A new method to determine the onset relative humidity for a glass transition in an amorphous material was developed using the DVS. Water vapour can act as a plasticising agent in amorphous materials, causing a recrystallisation event below the glass transition temperature. This method calculates the threshold relative humidity for this moisture induced glass transition at a particular temperature.
The effects of humidity are evident in the stability and shelf-life of a variety of materials, formulations, and processing behaviour, especially food materials. This article discusses the advantages of a direct comparison method of three similar dried milk samples under varying humidity conditions, using optical microscopy in conjunction with the GenRH-A accessory and Mcell from Surface Measurement Systems.
In drug research and development, the effect that the hydration state of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) has on crystallinity is an important consideration. Variations in crystallinity influence the stability, solubility, bio-availability, and dissolution rate of the drug. Therefore, knowing the effect that humidity has on the stability of different states is important, from both a regulatory and safety standpoint.
Accurate measurement of the surface energy values of nanofiller materials is important to ensure effective formulation, development, and characterization of nanocomposites.