Pittcon Review, Appendix VI: Mid-IR
Additional information from the Mid-IR section of the Pittcon Review article.
Manufacturer: ABB Analytical Measurements
Product name: MB-Rx In-Situ Reaction Monitor
FT-IR spectrometer with ATR probe
New this year: The MB-RX enables high performance reaction monitoring without needing to handle liquid nitrogen.
For: Laboratory analysis
Measurement mode: ATR
Specialty accessory Description: Fiber optics + ATR probe
Special features: Uses room temperature DTGS detector. No consumables or maintenance required.
Software: Available as separate product, 21CFR11-compliant, cGMP-compliant, may be used in other equipment
Suggested applications: In-situ chemical reaction monitoring
Primary benefits: No need to worry about nitrogen supply for cooled detector. Provides LOD of 0.1% w/w acetone in toluene.
Unique features: 10 years maintenance-free
Manufacturer: Anasys Instruments
Product name: nanoIR 100 nm IR spectroscopy
High spatial resolution mid-IR spectrometer
New this year: The nanoIR now has arbitrary polarization control, enabling researchers to study molecular orientation with nanoscale spatial resolution.
For: Laboratory analysis
Accessory/component: Polarization accessory to our nanoIR product
Measurement mode: Transmission
Specialty accessory Description: The accessory enables arbitrary polarization control on the nanoIR, thus enabling researchers to study molecular orientation with nanoscale spatial resolution.
Suggested applications: Anywhere study of molecular orientation is important, for example, fibers or oriented polymers, etc.
Primary benefits: Can provide molecular orientation on a single fiber.
Manufacturer: Block Engineering
Product name: LaserBench
Mid-IR tunable QC laser benchtop spectrometer
New this year: Brand-new product. Benchtop broadly tunable laser-based infrared spectrometer. Capable of extended performance compared to FT-IR. Uses standard FT-IR accessories.
For: Laboratory analysis
Special features: A quantum cascade laser (QCL) spectrometer that is the first of its kind; designed into a laboratory instrument. Accepts most standard FT-IR accessories, file structure supports GRAMS .SPC data format.
Suggested applications: All standard applications considered for FT-IR, but capable of handling more difficult samples, in particular those requiring more energy for good quality spectra.
Primary benefits: Capable of providing higher quality infrared spectral data when compared to a traditional FT-IR instrument.
Unique features: Infrared instrument that uses a quantum cascade laser as the IR source
Manufacturer: Block Engineering
Product name: LaserScan analyzer
Portable or benchtop mid-IR laser spectrometer for open path and stand-off measurements
For: Lab analysis
New this year: Fully self-contained to enable stand-off measurements at distances from 6 in. Used for gas/vapor detection in an open path (retro-reflective) configuration.
Portable: 10 x 8 x 5 in. (254 x 203 x 127 mm)
Accessory/component: Open cell attachment for extended path vapor measurements
Measurement mode: Diffuse reflection or transflectance
Specialty accessory Description: Tunable mid-IR laser analyzer; over ranges of 1600–1000 cm-1 and 1430–830 cm-1
Special features: Portable with carrying handle, continuous or step scan tuning; Pulse rate: 200kHz, insensitive to stray light; Line width: <1 cm-1, Spectral resolution software selectable (1, 2, 4, and 8 cm-1); Average power: 0.5–12 mW over full spectral range; Vertically polarized collimated beam. Integrated MCT detector.
Suggested applications: Surface contamination studies, identification of spills, bulk or trace level measurements, open space gas/vapor identification and monitoring.
Primary benefits: Covers the fingerprint region, no sample preparation needed.
Unique features: Noncontact sample identification of 2 μg/cm2. ID in bulk or trace levels. Targeting visible laser included for accurate sample locating. Laser is eyesafe.
Manufacturer: FTRX LLC
Product name: Monolith 20 FT-IR spectrometer
Mid-infrared FT-IR spectrometer designed for OEM incorporation into industrial analyzers
For: Process applications
New this year: Brand-new product. Ultrastable monolithic-interferometer spectrometer
Measurement mode: Versatile 1-in. collimated output for ease in mating to user-supplied sampling systems
Special features: Pre-aligned, sealed and desiccated monolithic, modular, intrinsically stable (against temperature, vibration, orientation changes) interferometer, for stable chemometric results, optimized for quantitative applications, instrument-to-instrument reproducibility for ease of calibration transfer, suitable for use in harsh industrial environments and mobile platforms.
Software: EFTIR for data collection and spectral manipulation. Is available as separate product, may be used in other equipment, compatible with other manufacturers' equipment.
Suggested applications: Gas, liquid, and solid analysis for incorporation into application-specific analyzers by manufacturers and system integrators.
Manufacturer: Wilks Enterprise, Inc.
Product name: InfraCal 2 Analyzer
Fixed filter mid infrared analyzer
For: Lab, process, and handheld applications
New this year: Touch-screen display, internal data storage for up to 6000 analyses and 2000 calibration, three user security levels to avoid tampering, two settings each for HI/LO alarms, multilingual display option, multiple analytical wavelengths
Portable: 7.86 in. L x 6.7 in. W x 5.85 in. H
Measurement mode: ATR or transmission
Accessory: Transmission sample stage will accept cards or different path-length cells.
Special features: Battery powered for on-site field measurements, multiple wavelengths for up to three specific analyses, dedicated analyzer for specific applications, designed for operation by non-technical personnel, rugged no moving parts.
Software: Embedded, and is available as separate product,
Suggested applications: Sub-ppm oil in solvent or water, multilayer polymer film, any dedicated production, QC, environmental or regulatory quantitative measurement
Primary benefits: Allows more expensive spectroscopic equipment to be freed up from routine analyses. Can be used on-site in rugged environments for quick results.
