Project

FTIR-PLUS: A multipurpose Infrared Spectrometer for analysis of materials, including 'operando' spectroscopy and luminescence analysis

Code
BOF/BAS/2022/063
Duration
15 December 2022 → 14 December 2024
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Nanophysics and nanosystems
    • Optical properties and interactions with radiation
    • Surfaces, interfaces, 2D materials
    • Photonics, optoelectronics and optical communications
    • Coordination chemistry
    • Solid state chemistry
    • Chemical characterisation of materials
    • Nanochemistry
    • Synthesis of materials
    • Surface and interface chemistry
    • Catalysis
    • Inorganic green chemistry
    • Organic green chemistry
Keywords
Infrared Spectroscopy Mulitpurpose equipment FTIR Solid materials Catalytic Chamber Operando Spectroscopy Luminescence analysis Heterogeneous Catalysis
 
Project description

Infrared Spectroscopy is the workhorse in any chemical lab. It is also a very versatile technique, which can be applied to gases, liquids, solids, thin layers, chemical processes.  Another very interesting application is 'operando' spectroscopy: measuring the properties of materials under operational conditions, for example the analysis of a heterogeneous catalyst at elevated temperature and in active contact with the reagents.

The department's 14-year old infrared spectrometer is out of service. In addition, the needs of the department have increased greatly due to the recruitment of very active new professors so, in addition to urgent replacement, an extension of the application options is also required.

In FTIR-PLUS, we propose a highly modular instrument that already has the capabilities described above, but also has an extension to measure emitted infrared light from luminescent materials, very important for the many researchers in the department working on photonics and luminescence. The setup is future-proof.