Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-19-2016

Subject: LCSH

Barium Fluoride, Infrared microscope

Disciplines

Forensic Science and Technology

Abstract

The infrared (IR) microspectroscopical analysis of samples within a sealed-cell containing barium fluoride is a critical need when identifying toxic agents or suspicious powders of unidentified composition. The dispersive nature of barium fluoride is well understood and experimental conditions can be easily adjusted during reflection–absorption measurements to account for differences in focus between the visible and IR regions of the spectrum. In most instances, the ability to collect a viable spectrum is possible when using the sealed cell regardless of whether visible or IR focus is optimized. However, when IR focus is optimized, it is possible to collect useful data from even smaller samples. This is important when a minimal sample is available for analysis or the desire to minimize risk of sample exposure is important. While the use of barium fluoride introduces dispersion effects that are unavoidable, it is possible to adjust instrument settings when collecting IR spectra in the reflection–absorption mode to compensate for dispersion and minimize impact on the quality of the sample spectrum.

Comments

This is the authors' accepted manuscript of the article published in Applied Spectroscopy. The version of record can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0003702816666286

DOI

10.1177/0003702816666286

Publisher Citation

Kammrath, B. W., Leary, P.E., & Reffner, J.A. (2016). Collecting Quality Infrared Spectra from Microscopic Samples of Suspicious Powders in a Sealed Cell. Applied Spectroscopy. doi: 10.1177/00037028166662860. epub ahead of print Sept 19, 2016.

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