Equipment Equipment includes a Niclolet Nexus 470 Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer with a Nicplan infrared microscope and a Midac FTIR fitted with a 10 meter gas cell. These instruments are used for analysis of gases, plastics, polymers, organic compounds, inorganic compounds, paints, and other materials. Analytical methods for quantification of compounds in gases or liquid products and samples have been developed. Unknown particles or components of systems may be identified using the infrared microscope. In continuous operation mode, the FTIR allows for temporal analysis of chemical reactions and processes, such as gas production in semiconductor manufacturing.
A Hewlet Packard 6890/5973 Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) provides for analysis of samples and unknown materials. Complimentary to the FTIR system this offers the capability to determine unknown compounds at trace level in samples. Like the FTIR, the mass spectrometer generates a fingerprint that is unique to for each compound that allows construction of libraries that can be searched to identify unknown compounds.
Other equipment and techniques: gas chromatograph-FID, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis), optical microscopy and photography, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Karl Fisher Titration with oven processor, headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry, 2D gas chromatography, etc. |
Methods Methods for chemical and physical analysis of products, waste, materials, and other types of samples have been developed by many organizations and agencies. If a method is available for analysis of a sample, it should be applied when possible. This is not always possible for various reasons. Then one must either adapt a method to a given situation, or start from scratch. Here are some of the more important agencies or organizations that provide analytical testing methods. Links to some of these agencies are provided above under Useful Links.
Methods
NIOSH, Nat. Inst. Occup. Safety and Health |
ASTM, Am. Society for Testing Materials |
EPA, Environmental Protection Agency |
USP, U.S. Pharmacopea |
EP, European Pharmacopea |
AOAC, American Oil Chemist Society |
CARB, California Air Resources Board |
Methods can be adapted to a particular problem when this is necessary or desired. Alternatively, new method development may be required. We are happy to provide a discussion of your poblem with recommendations and a quotation typically without charge.
Examples of Methods Developed and Applied
- Flamible Limits of Varying Atmospheres, Pressure and Temperature
- Contamination on Laser Rangefinder Mirror via MicroFTIR and GC-MS
- Method for Analysis of Cosmetic Additive by FTIR
- Expoxy Mixing Ratio by Partial Least Squares FTIR
- Hydrogen Storage in Metal Hydrides via Sievert's Testing
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