To make the mid-infrared (MIR) dispersive spectrograph a practical tool in industrial food processing lines, we designed a dispersive spectrograph system with an uncooled microbolometer focal plane array (FPA) detector for MIR spectral acquisition. To precisely regulate the angle of a rotatable grating to acquire the MIR spectrum, the spectral resolution and spatial resolution of the system were rigorously controlled to improve system performance. In the reflectance operation mode of the MIR dispersive spectrograph, the uncooled microbolometer FPA detector offered a maximum spectral resolution of 12 nm for the MIR, when a 300 grooves/mm blazed grating was used. Utilizing an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pulse laser source, the wavelengths of the first-order diffraction were validated, and the system’s spectral resolution limit was determined. As a line-scanning source, a Globar broadband source was installed, and the USAF 1951 Resolution Calculator was used to establish the spatial resolution of the imaging spectrograph. Using NI LabView, the logical operational technique for controlling the MIR dispersive spectrograph was encoded into system firmware. The GUI and test results are thoroughly described.

Morphology of silver nanoparticle coated on ZSM-5, mordenite, and Y-Type zeolite by Stöber’s and Tollen’s methods was characterized. The silver element was confirmed by SEM, EDX spectrum and XRD. Nanoparticle size of the silver fabricated on the surface of all three types of zeolite by Stöber’s method appeared in 1.8-7.9 times smaller than the Tollen’s methods depending on the Si/Al ratio of the zeolite. The ZSM-5, containing the highest Si/Al ratio and the largest crystal size, provided the best adhesion to the silver nanoparticles. Analysis of the SEM image showed a well distribution of silver nanoparticles on all types of zeolites, but only for the Stöber’s coating technique. A 4.54% coverage area of the silver nanoparticles on the Y-Type zeolite was enough for transformation the crystalline structure of zeolite surface to amorphous as consequent of the broad peak XRD spectrum. Since the zeolite surface was not fully obscured by silver nanoparticles as confirmed by FTIR, its absorption property of zeolite was also preserved. The Raman signal enhancement was evident when zeolite was coated with silver nanoparticle.