Paper Analysis by Reflectance Infra-Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy
Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) infra-red spectroscopy to characterize the surface coatings of paper
Paper Coating Analysis
Intertek can offer reflectance infra-red spectroscopy to help characterise the surface of papers and board based products. It is a rapid, non-destructive technique, particularly well suited to the examination of coatings on papers or plastics, requiring minimal sample preparation.
To produce an infra-red absorption spectrum, the sample is clamped in close contact with a diamond. An infra-red beam is passed through the diamond, bounced off the surface of the sample and back through the diamond. The beam penetrates about 0.5–2µm into the surface of the sample, and thus infra-red absorptions occur only to this depth. The technique can also be used to look at the surface of coated paper products including security papers and creative papers plus also powders, liquids and polymers, in fact anything with a relatively smooth surface.
Identification of paper coatings with FTIR spectra libraries
Comprehensive libraries of infra-red spectra are utilised to aid identification, specific to the pulp, paper and plastics industries, along with commercial libraries of many other compounds. Intertek Paper Technology Group has considerable experience at spectral interpretation of the coatings typically encountered in the paper industry.