Polarized FTIR Imaging for Orientation Studies

In the study of spherulites formed in poly(ester urethane) multiblock copolymer [51], FTIR imaging was used to reveal valuable information about both the orientation of the polymer chain and the composition of the spherulites. This information was not available from the measurements obtained from atomic force microscopy or polarized light microscopy. A separate study has also demonstrated that linear polarized FTIR imaging is a powerful tool for the investigation of the crystalline and amorphous structures and chain orientation of spherulites of PHB and isotactic poly(propylene oxide) [52]. Recently, a novel multipolarization calculation method has been proposed and applied to obtain FTIR images showing band structure in poly(L-lactic acid) and PHB spherulites with the indication of local molecular chain orientation [53]. 

FTIR imaging is a highly versatile imaging approach providing opportunities for a wide range of polymeric studies. This chapter has shown that FTIR imaging provides 

A number of applications in the study of polymer blends including pharmaceutical materials and biopolymers, in situ 

Gupper A, Wilhelm P, Schmied M, Kazarian SG, Chan KLA, Reussner J. Combined apphcation of imaging methods for the characterisation of a polymer hlend. Appl Specirosc 2002 56 1515-1523. 

Wessel E, Vogel C, Kolomiets O, Hoffmann U, Siesler HW. FT-IR and NIR Spectroscopic Imaging Principles, Practical 

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