Fourier Transform Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Study of Polymer Films and Coatings: A Method for Studying Polymer Surfaces

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Abstract
Diffuse reflectance FT-IR (DRIFT) is described as a tool for the study of polymer surfaces. The high sensitivity (particularly to surfaces) and nondestructive sample preparation procedure used for DRIFT experiments are valuable characteristics of the technique. By the use of an overlayer of a nonabsorbing powder such as KBr, the quality of the spectra of coatings and surface species on absorbing substrates is improved. We performed a model study using multilayer polymer films in order to understand the optimal applicability of DRIFT to these measurements. The relative contribution of the surface to the spectra can be adjusted by varying the amount and/or particle size of the KBr powder overlayer. Correlations between particle size, overlayer amount, and nature of the spectra of the “model” system are discussed. Practical examples of the application of this novel approach are presented.