Spectroscopy is a study of interaction of electromagnetic radiations with matter and has since become an important tool for evaluation of the chemical and structural properties, which, in turn, are known to govern most of the physico-mechanical properties of materials. Conventionally due to limitations in terms of sample handling and instrumentation, the technique could not get recognition worth its capabilities, however recent developments both in instrumentation as well as easy availability of computers, have led to major developments. Spectroscopy in its widest definition covers whole electromagnetic range which is difficult to cover in present context. It is therefore proposed to limit only infra-red region. Conventional IR spectrometers as mentioned above also had several limitations like slow detectors, poor sensitivity, low resolutions etc. and above all had major restriction on the sample form and morphology, for example sample should be thin (transparent), should not be highly absorbing and so on. On the other hand, recent developments [1, 2] have led to its availability of modern non-dispersive infra-red spectrometer commonly known as FTIR in almost every laboratory mainly due to their reduced/comparable cost. It may not be exaggeration to say that in next century the conventional dispersive systems may be considered as an antique. Apart from several inherent advantages, the availability of improved and new sample handling techniques and above all the capability of modern FTIR to hyphenate with most other independent analytical techniques, have led to considerable scope of this technique specially for a noncontact-nondestructive evaluation of materials. Of course the limitations in terms of application to materials which do not have any interaction in this range still remains. This revolution has now made it possible to study any type of material irrespective of their type, form or morphology. It is proposed to discuss briefly developments in IR instrumentation and its application with special reference to
- Fast, noncontact and non-destructive evaluation of polymer based materials and fibers including highly absorbing high tech materials.
- surface Coatings
- Quality assurance/control
- Optic fibre based remote applications and Online process monitoring.
Acknowledgment:
This work is a part of project sponsored by Indo-French Center for Promotion of Advance Research (IFCPAR). Author wish to thank to Prof. A. C. Boccara of ESPCI, Paris and Prof. D. Fournier of UPMC Paris for their help and suggestions. REFERENCES
- G. C. Pandey, "Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy as a Quality Control Tool", Process Control and Quality, 4, 109 (1993)
- G. C. Pandey and Ajay Kumar, "FTIR and Photothermal Spectroscopy in Petrochemicals Research: An Overview", J. sci. & Ind. Res. 54, 571 (1995)
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