THE USE OF INFRARED METHODS TO STUDY POLYMER INTERFACES

It is the purpose of this article to describe the recent developments in the field of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy that have increased the understanding of the surface properties of polymers. Particular attention is paid to the new techniques that evolved with the development of FT-IR. The theory of each technique is discussed as well as its applications. The use of FT-IR instruments makes it possible to routinely study the vibrational properties of surfaces and interfaces. The proper choice of the IR sampling technique is the most important decision to be made in order to obtain useful, interpretable spectra of the vibrational modes and chemical structure of the sample.