Metrology based on transient heat transfer theory for evaluating phase change materials with differential scanning calorimetry

•The quadratic curve fitting method is indisputably the best for practical use.•Mass measurement uncertainty couldn't be the leading error source(s).•The volatile loss occurred primarily during the hold time at 50 °C. Correct sensible heat curve (virtual baseline) during phase change is a must for accurate evaluation of latent heat. In this article, the dynamically moving interface (DMI) model for any phase change material (PCM) measured with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) is devised not only for elucidating the complex mechanisms of transient heat transfer in the five stages from solid phase to liquid phase, but also for constructing a correct sensible heat curve during phase change. We derive all the governing relations in exact or analytic form to describe the corresponding heat currents in the five stages of transient heat transfer together with the correct sensible heat curve during phase change inside any tiny PCM sample. The error budget analysis for the expanded uncertainty of specific latent heat about the tiny indium sample is detailed after the full assessment to specific latent heats of several PCMs.