FTIR microspectroscopy of polymeric systems

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a mature analytical technique employed to examine polymeric materials. With the coupling of an infrared interferometer to a microscope equipped with specialized detectors, FTIR spectroscopy has been employed widely to examine microscopic areas in polymers for the last twenty years. Following the emergence of instrumentation techniques that employ focal plane array (FPA) detectors, FTIR microspectroscopy has experienced a recent renaissance in terms of the capability of instrumentation and visualization afforded for examining multicomponent polymer systems. We present an overview of the principles of instrumental configurations used to achieve spatially resolved spectral information, their relative advantages and limitations. Illustrative examples are presented that demonstrate the capabilities of FTIR microspectroscopy and the insight this technique provides into the composition, formation, and behavior of polymeric materials. Finally, some emerging techniques that may permit microspectroscopic analyses on a different spatial scale are reviewed.