INFRARED

SPECTROSCOPY
Principle of operation
Infrared spectroscopy relies on the property of bonds in which the different bonds
oscillate at different frequencies

By adding different frequencies of infrared light the oscillation of certain bonds will
increase accordingly

By measuring the values gained through the test and comparing it to the available
data, the operator can determine the composition of the compound itself
 Parts

Light source. Infrared energy is emitted from a glowing black-body source as continuous
radiations.

Beam Splitter: Usually a partially silvered mirror similar to a two way mirror, This allows a
fraction of the light falling on it to pass through it and another fraction to be reflected.

Sample compartment. It is the place where the beam is transmitted through the sample. In the
sample compartment, specific frequencies of energy are absorbed.

Detector. The beam finally passes to the detector for final measurement. The two most popular
detectors for a FTIR spectrometer are deuterated triglycine sulfate (pyroelectric detector) and
mercury cadmium telluride (photon or quantum detector). The measured signal is sent to the
computer where the Fourier transformation takes place.
Advantages
The operation of the machine is fast

It is sensitive

Can analyse solid, liquid, gas, semi-solids, powders, and polymers

It is cheap
Disadvantages
Atoms or monatomic ions do not have infrared spectra

Homonuclear diatomic molecules do not posses infrared spectra

Complex mixture and aqueous solutions are difficult to analyze using infrared
spectroscopy

Not as accurate as other methods such as UV spectroscopy