Overview
This webinar introduces Kinetics Lite, a new, beginner-friendly kinetic analysis software from NETZSCH, tightly integrated with the existing Proteus thermal analysis software. The session demonstrates how Kinetics Lite dramatically reduces the number of steps required to perform kinetic evaluations — from many manual export/import steps down to as few as 6 clicks.
1. Background: What Is Kinetic Analysis?
- Conversion (α): A dimensionless value from 0 to 1 describing reaction progress. For TGA: ratio of current mass loss to total mass loss; for DSC: ratio of partial to total peak area.
- Reaction rate: Depends on α, temperature (via the Arrhenius equation), and a pre-exponential factor.
- Activation energy (Ea): The energy barrier between reactants and the transition state.
Beginner-Level Tasks
- Finding activation energy and reaction order (n-order, autocatalytic, nucleation)
- Simple predictions: isothermal, dynamic, half-time, lifetime (e.g., 5% conversion)
Expert-Level Tasks
- Multi-step kinetics (independent, consecutive, competing, reversible reactions)
- Curing with vitrification and glass transition evolution
- Non-Arrhenius kinetics
- Influence of pressure, UV intensity, component ratios
- Time–Temperature Transformation (TTT) diagrams, optimization of industrial temperature profiles
2. Two Software Products
Detailed comparison can be found here
| Feature | Kinetics Lite | Kinetics Neo |
| Target users | Beginners only | Beginners + Experts |
| Kinetic analysis | Basic (model-free, single-step) | Advanced (model-free, single-step, multi-step, complex models) |
| Data sources | NETZSCH instruments only | NETZSCH + non-NETZSCH (ASCII import) |
| License | Per department (multiple PCs under one Proteus license) | Per seat (one per computer) |
| Support | Extra / consulting not included | 12 months included (with consulting) |
| Instrument types | TGA, DSC | TGA, DSC, Dilatometer, DEA, Viscosity, ARC, arbitrary data |
| Additional parameters | - | Pressure, UV intensity |
| Model-free methods | Single-point (ASTM E698, E2890, E1641) + Multi-point (Friedman, Ozawa, Vyazovkin) | All Lite + phase boundary, diffusion, Sestak-Berggren, reversible reactions, Crystallization According to NakamuraCrystallization according to Nakamura is the crystal growth model for non-isothermal crystallization kinetics during cooling.Nakamura and Sbirrazzuoli for cooling crystallization |
| Reaction typesReaction type is the elementary mechanism of one individual reaction step in multi-step chemical reaction. Reaction type f(Cr, Cp) describes dependence of the reaction rate for individual reaction step on the concentrations of reactant Cr and product Cp for this step.Reaction types | n-order (1st, 2nd, n-th), autocatalysis (Kamal-Sourour), nucleation (Avrami) | All Lite + phase boundary, diffusion, Beren, reversible reactions |
| Predictions | Isothermal, dynamic, lifetime | All Lite + adiabatic, climatic, TTT diagram, external profile, industrial optimization |
| Simulated fit / R² display | + | + |
3. Key Kinetics Lite Demonstrations
3.1 Automatic Data Transfer from Proteus
- Old workflow: Export each curve manually to a file → configure columns → import into Kinetics → repeat for each curve → analyze.
- New workflow: Select all curves in Proteus → click "Evaluate mass change" → open Kinetics Lite → get results. ~6 clicks total.
3.2 n-th -Order Reaction (TGA data, 3 heating rates: 5, 10, 20 K/min)
- Software automatically detects reaction type from curve shape.
- Result: Ea = 75 kJ/mol, pre-exponential factor, reaction order = 0.38.
3.3 Autocatalytic Reaction (DSC, epoxy curing)
- Reaction type Cn (autocatalytic) selected automatically.
- Result: Ea, pre-exponential factor, orders of reaction and autocatalysis, R² = 0.9993 after one optional optimization click.
- Achieved in under 10 clicks.
3.4 Model-Free Kinetics – Single-Point Methods
- Methods: ASTM E698 (Ozawa), E2890, E1641 — use only one point per curve (maximum).
- Demonstrated ASTM E698 → Ea = 53 kJ/mol, but R² = 0.89 — poor fit.
- Compared to model-based result: R² = 0.999. Conclusion: single-point methods are fast but often inaccurate; always check the fit.
3.5 Model-Free Kinetics – Multi-Point Methods (double-step epoxy curing)
- Methods: Friedman, Vyazovkin, Ozawa-Flynn-Wall.
- Software calculates Ea as a function of conversion (α).
- Best result: Friedman, R² = 0.99975.
- Results can be used directly for predictions.
3.6 Pyrolysis (TGA of olive stones — water, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin)
- Complex multi-peak process.
- Model-free analysis (Friedman/Vyazovkin) applied in one click.
- Best result: Vyazovkin, R² ≈ 0.9999.
3.7 Predictions for polymer degradation
- Dynamic predictions: Conversion vs. temperature for heating rates from 0.5 to 200 K/min.
- Isothermal predictions: Conversion at fixed temperatures (300–400 °C, step 10 °C) over 10 hours.
- Lifetime (5% conversion): Search between 100–400 °C for time = 10 days → 196 °C is the temperature at which 5% conversion occurs after 10 days.
3.8 Isothermal Crystallization (PA 12)
- Crystallization accelerates at lower temperatures (supercooling effect) is opposite to chemical reactions.
- Avrami nucleation model selected automatically.
- Lifetime prediction: 171 °C is the temperature at which 50% crystallization is reached in 60 minutes.
4. When Kinetics Lite Cannot Be Used
Model-free kinetics in Kinetics Lite fails when:
- Total mass loss or peak area varies across heating rates (competing reactions).
- Mechanism change occurs at a different conversion value for each rate.
- Peaks in opposite directions (exothermal + endothermal).
- Cooling crystallization with variable peak areas (incomplete crystallization at fast cooling).
- Reaction not measured to completion (unknown value for 100% conversion).
In all such cases, Kinetics Neo is required.
5. Capabilities Only in Kinetics Neo
- Multi-step kinetics with intermediate concentrations
- Mixed exothermal/endothermal steps (relevant for battery material decomposition)
- Non-Arrhenius kinetics (curing with vitrification)
- Time–Temperature Transformation (TTT) diagrams
- Glass transition evolution during curing
- Kinetics of shear viscosity (rheology data)
- Ion viscosity (DEA data)
- UV intensity as external parameter (photopolymerization)
- Partial pressure of active gas (e.g., H₂, O₂, CO₂)
- Component mass ratio dependence (e.g., epoxy/amine ratios)
6. Release & Licensing Information
- Kinetics Lite and the updated Kinetics Neo (v3.8) with Proteus integration will be released in July 2026.
- Compatible with Proteus Analysis v 9.10 released at the same time
- Kinetics Neo license: Perpetual (lifetime), includes 12 months of support and consulting. Renewals are optional.
- Pricing via regional NETZSCH sales representative: https://kinetics.netzsch.com → "Request a Quote".
- Kinetics Lite: Not sold separately; it comes only as a paid option with the Proteus software.
7. Q&A Highlights
Q: Can isothermal aging predictions for polymers be made from TGA data?
A: Yes, but only if measurements were taken below the melting point (solid state). Isothermal predictions require that experimental data include isothermal segments.
Q: Can non-NETZSCH instrument data be used?
A: Not in Kinetics Lite (NETZSCH data only). In Kinetics Neo, yes — export data as a 3-column ASCII file (time, temperature, signal) and import it.
Q: How is the pre-exponential factor A determined?
A: By best-fit optimization the software finds all kinetic parameters (Ea, A, reaction order) simultaneously to minimize deviation from experimental data across all curves.
Q: Is Kinetics Neo an annual or lifetime license?
A: Lifetime (perpetual) license. 12 months of support (including consulting and updates) is included; extensions are optional.
Useful Links
Kinetics Neo website: https://kinetics.netzsch.com
Kinetics Lite website: https://kineticslite.netzsch.com (feature comparison table available)
Kinetics Neo contact : Contact us