FTIR Microspectroscopy of Polymeric Systems

Abstract

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a mature analytical technique employed to examine polymeric materials. With the coupling of an infrared interferometer to a microscope equipped with specialized detectors, FTIR spectroscopy has been employed widely to examine microscopic areas in polymers for the last twenty years. Following the emergence of instrumentation techniques that employ focal plane array (FPA) detectors, FTIR microspectroscopy has experienced a recent renaissance in terms of the capability of instrumentation and visualization afforded for examining multicomponent polymer systems. We present an overview of the principles of instrumental configurations used to achieve spatially resolved spectral information, their relative advantages and limitations. Illustrative examples are presented that demonstrate the capabilities of FTIR microspectroscopy and the insight this technique provides into the composition, formation, and behavior of polymeric materials. Finally, some emerging techniques that may permit microspectroscopic analyses on a different spatial scale are reviewed.

FTIR - An Essential Characterization Technique for Polymeric Materials

“…The chemical composition and the bonding arrangement of constituents in a homopolymer, copolymer, polymer composite and polymeric materials in general can be obtained using Infrared (IR) spectroscopy (Bhargava et al 2003) The FTIR spectrometers obtain the IR spectrum by Fourier transformation of the signal from an interferometer with a moving mirror to produce an optical transform of the infrared signal. Numerical Fourier analysis gives the relation of intensity and frequency, that is, the IR spectrum.…”

Mikroplastik in Binnengewässern

“…30-10 µm ist die Verwendung eines FTIR-Mikroskops die Methode der Wahl (Bhargava et al 2003 (Harrison et al 2012). In beiden Fällen besteht der Nachteil, dass vor der Messung entschieden werden muss, ob der Partikel als Mikroplastik in Frage kommt.…”

Vibrational Spectroscopy Imaging in Polymers

“…Vibrational spectroscopy imaging of polymers is natural extension of their vibrational spectroscopy mapping [7,9]. The latter, particularly IR and Raman mapping of polymers, was developed during the past two decades.…”