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Updated: Sep 7, 2025
Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid
Published on: December 2, 2022
Thermogravimetric Analysis on a Resonant Microcantilever
Fanglan Yao1,2, Pengcheng Xu1,2, Hao Jia1
1State Key Lab of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
Micro-electromechanical system-based thermogravimetric analysis (MEMS TGA) offers ultrasensitive, efficient material characterization using picogram resolution. This advanced technique enables ultrafast heating and analysis of trace samples, overcoming limitations of conventional thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS)
Background:
- Conventional thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a standard material characterization technique with limitations in sensitivity, efficiency, and scope.
- Existing TGA methods have reached technical limitations, necessitating advancements for higher performance requirements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and develop micro-electromechanical system-based thermogravimetric analysis (MEMS TGA) technology.
- To overcome the technical ceiling of conventional TGA by enhancing sensitivity, efficiency, and application scope.
Main Methods:
- Development of an integrated resonant microcantilever with picogram mass resolution and temperature-programming capabilities.
- Utilizing micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) technology for ultrasensitive mass-loss analysis with nanogram sample quantities.
- Implementation of ultrafast and controllable heating up to 1200 °C.
Main Results:
- MEMS TGA demonstrates significantly improved heating efficiency (over one order of magnitude) compared to conventional TGA, maintaining measurement accuracy.
- Ultrasensitive analysis of trace samples (nanogram level) is achievable.
- Enables direct testing of explosive substances in air due to trace sample requirements, mitigating explosion risks.
Conclusions:
- MEMS TGA technology represents a substantial advancement over conventional TGA, offering superior performance and broader applicability.
- The silicon MEMS TGA microchip allows for functional integration with other analytical techniques, such as Raman spectroscopy, for operando characterization.
