We report results from a recent field experiment to test the validity of using physics-based synthetic infrared spectra to serve as endmembers in a spectral database targeted at chemical deposits. Specifically, the optical constants n and k, (the real and imaginary part of the refractive index) were used to first model infrared reflectance spectra for different thicknesses of chemical layers (e.g. acetaminophen, methylphosphonic acid – MPA, etc.) on various conducting and insulating substrates such as aluminum, wood, and glass. In the experimental portion of the research, thin films of the solid and liquid analytes were deposited onto such substrates to form micron-thick layers of the analytes at different thicknesses: Standoff data from an imaging instrument were then recorded and analyzed to not only identify the different analytes, but also quantify the layer/deposit thickness. To gauge success, the detection results using the synthetic data were compared to the results from laboratory hemispherical reflectance (HRF) spectra that were collected for the same sample planchets measured in the field via standoff methods. Preliminary results indicate good agreement between the synthetic reference data as compared to the lab-measured HRF data in terms of their ability to quantitatively reduce longwave infrared data. Specifically, modeled IR spectra for acetaminophen on an aluminum planchet at various thicknesses (1, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 μm) were synthesized and compared with standoff field reflectance data as well as HRF laboratory reflectance spectra for two samples: a 5.2 μm- and 12.8 μm-thick layer of acetaminophen on aluminum. Using a first-order approximation, analysis of the field data estimates the thicknesses of the samples to be 2 and 10 μm for the two samples, respectively, while the HRF laboratory data yields thickness estimates of between 5-10 μm and 10 μm, respectively. Both yield reasonable estimates, with the uncertainty most likely due to factors yet to be accounted for in the synthetic spectra such as light scattering.
A hybrid Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) / quantum cascade laser (QCL) spectrometer is introduced for the analysis of gas-phase chemical kinetics, including the study of alkyl halide photolysis reactions. The FTIR provides broadband spectral survey information and the QCL laser system provides improved detection limits and acquisition speeds, albeit over limited wavelength domains. A kinetic model for the photolysis of methyl iodide is introduced which suggests that both the steady state products, such as methanol, and transient intermediates may be monitored using the hybrid setup. Preliminary results use an external cavity QCL to rapidly measure the spectrum of methanol from 2200-1960 cm-1 in ~2 seconds, which is sufficiently fast to capture the chemical dynamics predicted by the model to occur during the first several seconds of photolysis.
The gaseous (by)products generated from molten salt reactors need to be monitored to prevent the release of potentially toxic gases to the environment. In particular, 129I has a long half-life and its toxicity and persistence in the environment make iodine and iodine-containing compounds (such as ICl from chloride containing molten salt systems) of great concern. Optical spectroscopy tools, including Raman and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies, are ideal for monitoring and quantifying such off-gas products. Iodine (I2) has a strong and distinct Raman signature and the change in signal with a change in concentration can be used for quantification of these byproducts. Iodine monochloride (ICl) has distinct signatures in both the Raman and the infrared, and its spectrum can also potentially be used for quantitative measurement of this species. In this paper we discuss our recent results on the quantification of iodine monochloride using infrared spectroscopy, in particular first reports of the absolute infrared band strength of ICl.
The optical constants, n and k, are required to model the reflection, refraction and transmission of light at the first surface interface of a material, as well as its propagation through the material; here n corresponds to the real component and k the imaginary component of the refractive index. Several spectroscopic methods have been used to determine the n and k values for different materials, including single-angle reflectance spectroscopy and ellipsometry. The single-angle reflectance method quantitatively records the specular reflectance R(ṽ) from a plane parallel face of the material and uses the Kramers-Kronig transform to extract the n and k values. For most compounds, however, it is difficult to obtain a single crystal or high-quality window of sufficient planarity and of the appropriate dimensions (several mm) to make the measurement. For this reason, we further investigate the use of pressed pellets of neat powdered substances to measure optical constants of these substances using the single-angle reflectance method. We have found that surface roughness can significantly influence the measured quantitative reflectance spectrum R(ṽ) and, consequently, the derived n and k values. A collaborative study between Defence Research and Development Canada - Valcartier Research Center (DRDC-VRC) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been carried out using different pellets of neat ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4] to show how parameters, such as the particle size composition and the grinding process, can affect the reflectance spectrum used to derive the optical constants. All pressed pellets were characterized by single-angle reflectance spectroscopy.
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