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What Can the FTIR Spectroscopy Be Used for?

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is an analysis technique that provides information regarding the molecular structure and chemical bonding of materials. These materials can be organic or inorganic. FTIR is used primarily in failure analysis (scientific process of collecting data for determining the cause of a particular failure) in order to identify unknown materials.

  1. Spectroscopy

    • Spectroscopy is the study of interaction between matter and radiation and its relative wavelengths of light. It is primarily used in chemistry and physics as a way to identify substances, according to the College of Charleston. Specifically, spectroscopy is used to determine the quantity, structure and identity of atoms, molecules and ions by analyzing the radiation emitted or absorbed by those molecules.

    The Facts

    • The FTIR technique operates on the fact that chemical bonds and groups of chemical bonds of molecules vibrate at certain (characteristic) frequencies. In particular, molecules that are exposed to infrared rays absorb those rays at frequencies that are unique to those molecules, according to SiliconFarEast.com. The analysis can be performed on gases, liquids and solids. As a result, FTIR spectroscopy is a very useful technique in identifying unknown components of a mixture.

    Function

    • During FTIR spectroscopy, one part of a sample is subjected to a modulated infrared beam. The sample's transmittance and reflectance of the infrared rays at different frequencies is translated into an infrared absorption plot. This plot is referred to as the resulting FTIR spectral pattern. It consists of peaks and valleys that can be analyzed and matched with known signatures of identified materials.

    Uses

    • FTIR analysis is primarily used to identify chemicals from paints, polymers, spills, coatings, drugs and contaminants. In particular, it is most powerful in identifying types of chemical bonds (function groups), according to West Coast Analytical Service. Chemical bonds possess characteristic wavelengths of light that they can absorb. If a sample is subject to FTIR spectroscopy and the resulting infrared absorption spectrum is analyzed, the chemical bonds of a molecule can be determined.

    Considerations

    • It is important to note that the FTIR spectra of pure compounds are unique and therefore identification is possible. According to West Coast Analytical Service, FTIR spectra is sometimes referred to as a substance's molecular fingerprint. Identification of samples takes place via a comparison method to known compounds found in infrared spectral libraries. In order to identify less common materials, FTIR is often combined with other identification techniques such as x-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry and emission spectroscopy.

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