Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: A Hands-on Workshop

Benefits

Learn many "tricks of the trade" that only experienced hands-on users know.

Understand how to increase efficiency by using the proper instrument settings and sampling techniques the first time you analyze a sample.

Learn 15 experimental pitfalls to avoid during quantitative analysis.

Discover nine new FTIR techniques that can solve many industrial problems.

Learn quick and easy methods to access data quality and instrument performance.

Topics

How an FT-IR Works—understanding the Michelson interferometer; how an interferogram becomes a spectrum; determining resolution/tradeoffs between resolution and signal-to-noise ratio; hardware considerations: sources, detectors, beamsplitters, etc.; spectrometer electronics; measurements of data quality.

Proper Use of Spectral Manipulation—spectral subtraction; baseline correction; smoothing; spectral derivatives; deconvolution; library searching; band fitting.

Choosing the Right Sampling Technique—transmission techniques; reflectance techniques; attenuated total reflectance; photoacoustic spectroscopy.

Quantitative Analysis—Beer's Law and single component analysis; common experimental pitfalls to avoid; multicomponent analyses.

"Hyphenated" Infrared Techniques—infrared microspectroscopy; gas chromatography-FTIR spectroscopy; high pressure liquid chromatography-FTIR (HPLC-FTIR); FT-Raman spectroscopy.

Applications Using Advanced FTIR Instrumentation—novel interferometer designs; applications of dynamically aligned interferometers; theory and applications of step scanning; hardware for other spectral ranges.

New and Unusual Sampling Techniques—infrared fiber optic spectroscopy; infrared emission spectroscopy; far infrared spectroscopy.

Thermal Techniques Interfaced to an FTIR—thermo-gravimetric analysis—FTIR; differential scanning calorimetryFTIR.

On-line Process Monitoring FTIR—technical difficulties; instrumentation and sampling; applications.

Intended Audience
Chemical scientists or technicians who work in the fields of analytical, organic, polymer, rubber, forensic, and quality control chemistry. The course is designed for anyone who uses FTIR to discover molecular composition and the quantities of molecules in a sample. Prior experience is helpful but not required.

Flexible
This course can be adjusted to meet your specific training requirements. The course can also be combined with a mentoring program and other consulting services to help your company quickly and productively achieve self-sufficiency.

Instructor
Dr. Brian Smith is a principal of Spectros Associates. Since 1992, thousands of scientists, engineeers, and technicians have benefited from his instruction in IR Spectral interpretation and the theory and practice of FTIR spectroscopy. Dr. Smith has over two decades of experience as an industrial analytical chemist, and has authored two books and numerous papers on infrared spectroscopy and its applications. Dr. Smith earned hs Ph.D. in Chemistry from Dartmouth College.

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