What does thermal analysis primarily detect?

Thermal analysis primarily detects phase transitions because it involves measuring changes in physical properties of a material as a function of temperature. During thermal analysis, techniques such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) or Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) are employed to observe how substances respond to heating or cooling.

Phase transitions, such as melting, crystallization, or glass transitions, are significant because they indicate changes in the state of matter and are crucial in understanding the thermal stability and behavior of materials. As temperature changes, the material's heat capacity, enthalpy, and other thermal properties are monitored to detect these transitions. The ability to identify the temperature at which these phase changes occur provides important information about a substance's thermal history and stability.

In contrast, while chemical reactions, concentrations of solutions, and electrochemical properties may sometimes be influenced by temperature, they are not the primary focus of thermal analysis techniques. Thermal analysis is specifically tailored to characterize the thermal behavior and transformation of materials through their temperature-dependent phase transitions.