ABSTRACT: A three-tiered experiment for undergraduate Instrumental
Analysis students is presented in which students characterize the solid-state
thermal behavior of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (acetaminophen)
and excipient (α-lactose hydrate) using differential scanning calorimetry,
thermogravimetric analysis, and thermal microscopy. Students are required
to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis, incorporating data from
the three thermal analysis techniques to successfully interpret melting,
decomposition, and dehydration thermal transitions. Students use thermal
analysis software to determine transition temperatures and enthalpies of
transitions, and use stoichiometric calculations to calculate the water of
hydration.