Trends in isothermal microcalorimetry

Abstract

Isothermal microcalorimeters are of increasing importance in thermodynamics and as general ‘process monitors’. Recent developments in instrumentation and in experimental methods have been significant and several easy-to-use instruments are now commercially available. Important application areas include investigations of solute–solvent interactions and ligand binding processes, sorption processes, living cellular systems and the assessment of stabilities of technical products. The combination of isothermal calorimetry with different specific analytical techniques seems to be particularly promising.