ISO 11357 specifies several differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) methods for the thermal analysis of polymers and polymer blends, such as — thermoplastics (polymers, moulding compounds and other moulding materials, with or without fillers, fibres or reinforcements); — thermosets (uncured or cured materials, with or without fillers, fibres or reinforcements); — elastomers (with or without fillers, fibres or reinforcements). ISO 11357 is intended for the observation and measurement of various properties of, and phenomena associated with, the above-mentioned materials, such as — physical transitions (glass transition, phase transitions such as melting and crystallization, polymorphic transitions, etc.); — chemical reactions (polymerization, crosslinking and curing of elastomers and thermosets, etc.); — the stability to oxidation; — the heat capacity. This part of ISO 11357 specifies a number of general aspects of differential scanning calorimetry, such as the principle and the apparatus, sampling, calibration and general aspects of the procedure and test report common to all following parts. Details on performing specific methods are given in subsequent parts of ISO 11357 (see Foreword).