APPLICATIONS OF RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY TO THE STUDY OF POLYMERS AND POLYMERIZATION PROCESSES

The application of Raman spectroscopy to polymers and polymerization processes is surveyed and the advent of recent advances in instrumental techniques to polymer analysis is highlighted. Some of the problems of the more widely-used infrared spectroscopic methods, for example in microstructural analysis of polydienes and copolymers, are discussed and the advantages of the Raman spectroscopic technique are explained. The use of near-infrared excitation and Fourier-transform Raman instrumentation for process monitoring and polymer composite studies is discussed. Raman microscopic and waveguide spectroscopic studies of small samples and polymer coatings on substrates are considered. Other applications are mentioned in the areas of polymer orientation, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, conducting polymers, biopolymers and time-resolved studies.