FTIR microspectroscopy

FTIR microspectroscopy, coupled with mapping techniques, is an effective method for evaluating dimensionally-dependent changes. The method is based on the specificity of the IR spectrum and the dimensional resolution of the microscope. The keys to the successful use of FTIR microscopy are experience in sample preparation, an understanding of light microscopy, and ingenuity in defining solutions. 

The fatigue of NR and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is an enormous industrial problem, as important mechanical properties of these materials deteriorate quickly when stressed. Although fatigue may describe the deterioration of certain material properties, it is generally believed that the term also describes failure 

FTIR microspectroscopy was applied for the characterisation of compositional heterogeneity of a polymer blend. For a polymer blend prepared by mixing PP and polycarbonate, the spatially specific compositional heterogeneity could be easily identified (106). 

Mapping the phases of PVAL and PVA blends was accomplished using FTIR microspectroscopy. The dimensions, shapes, and distributions of the domains are dependent on the initial composition of the polymeric mixtures in solution. Specific interactions between both homopolymers were observed (129). 

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) samples, obtained by casting from tetrahydrofman (THF) solutions and submitted to various thermal treatments, were examined by FTIR microspectroscopy. The analysis permitted examination of microdomains of samples of different morphological characteristics and an indication of the polymorphism of PVDF is obtained (213). 

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Yan, B. Kumaravel, G. Progression of Organic Reactions on Resin Supports Monitored by Single Bead FTIR Microspectroscopy, Tetrahedron 1996, 52, 843. 

FTIR Microspectroscopy.3 A microscope accessory coupled to a liquid-nitrogen-cooled mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) detector can be used to obtain an IR spectrum. This is possible in both the transmission and reflectance modes. Several beads are spread on an IR-transparent window (NaCl, KBr, diamond) and possibly flattened via a hand-press or a compression cell. The IR beam is focused on a single bead using the view mode of the microscope. The blank area surrounding the bead is isolated using an adjustable aperture, and a spectrum is recorded using 32 scans (<1 min). A nearby blank area of the same size on the IR transparent window is recorded as the background. 

FTIR microspectroscopy using a single-element detector... 

Eidelman, N and Simon, CG. 2004. Characterization of Combinatorial polymer blend compostion gradients by FTIR microspectroscopy, J. Res. Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol., 109(2), 219-231. 

Spectra of good quality normally can be obtained in a reasonably short measuring time (less than 5 min) with disc diameters ranging from 20-30/im. FTIR microspectroscopy is described by Fuller and Griffiths (1980), Bartick (1985), Krishnan (1988), Schiering et al. (1988), Sommer et al. (1988) and Sweeney (1989). 

Gazi E, Dwyer J, Lockyer N, Gardner P, Vickerman JC, Miyan J, Hart CA, Brown M, Shanks JH, Clarke N (2004) The combined application of FTIR microspectroscopy and ToF-SIMS imaging in the study of prostate cancer. Faraday Discuss 126 41-59... 

FTIR spectroscopy can combine with microscopy for generating FTIR spectra from microscopic volumes in materials. The instrument for FTIR microspectroscopy is simply called the FTIR microscope, which is often attached to the conventional FTIR instrument. The FTIR microscope is increasingly used for materials characterization because of its simple operation and FTIR spectra can be collected rapidly from microscopic volumes selected with the microscope. 

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