A modified dual-slope method for heat capacity measurements of condensable gases

A high resolution nonadiabatic method for measuring the heat capacity (CP) of bulk samples of condensable gases in the range of 7.5–70 K is described. In this method CP is evaluated by directly comparing the heating and cooling rates of the sample temperature for two algebraically independent heat pulse sequences without explicit use of the thermal conductance between sample and thermal bath. A fully automated calorimeter for rapid measurement of CP of molecular solids utilizing this technique is presented. The technique along with the automated calorimeter with a provision to apply external electric and magnetic fields is particularly useful for the study of continuous phase transitions in molecular solids as well as field induced changes in the heat capacity.