Nov_Dec_AMP_Digital

A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 2 3 that of the –CH 2 - stretch mode, prob- ably due to the relatively low concen- tration of the polyamides (16%). In addition to the intensity analysis shown in the figures, the software allowed for various types of analysis such as in- tensity ratio, peak height, peak height ratio, peak area, peak area ratio, and purity. CONCLUSION An FTIR spectrophotometer com- bined with an FTIR microscope can be used to analyze the layered structure of composite films. This microscope sys- tem enables measurement in the trans- mission, reflection, and ATR modes. Sample preparation played an import- ant role in the successful investigation of the film cross section and the com- patible software with mapping capa- bilities proved an indispensable tool in cross section analysis. Even with the high sensitivity of the liquid nitro- gen-cooled MCT detector, it might have been difficult to obtain meaningful FTIR spectra if the proper aperture dimen- sion was not selected. Sampling, mea- surement, and analysis were easily achieved with software control. Chemi- cal composition variation was observed with spatial resolution at a sub-10- micron level on the cross section of the film samples. ~AM&P For more information: Liang Zhao, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, 7102 Riverwood Dr., Columbia, MD 21046, 800.477.1227, lizhao@shimadzu.com, www.ssi.shimadzu.com . Acknowledgment The author would like to acknowl- edge Sudhir Dahal and Gilbert Vial of Shimadzu Scientific Instruments for their assistance with this article. Reference 1. Application News No. FTIR-1901, Characterization of Polymer Film Cross Section Using the Shimadzu AIM-9000 FTIR Microscope, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Columbia, Md., December 2018.