Filters for Nanoplastic Contamination
This study highlights the development and application of silicon membrane filters for detecting and analyzing nanoplastics (NPs) and small microplastics (SMPs) in seawater. The filters, engineered with precise lithographic and etching techniques, feature hexagonally arranged pores of 250 nm and 1 µm. Their innovative design ensures stability and compatibility with advanced analytical tools, including nano-FTIR for nanoscale particle analysis and Raman spectroscopy for larger particles. Tests using environmental samples, such as degraded polylactic acid (PLA) coffee lids and polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) particles, demonstrated the filters' effectiveness in separating and chemically identifying particles. The filters' flat, reflective surfaces and optical markers enabled precise particle localization and seamless transitions between analytical methods. The combination of nano-FTIR and Raman allowed comprehensive size-based analysis, correlating well with reference data. This technology advances nanoplastic pollution research, offering robust tools for environmental monitoring, supporting ecological impact studies, and informing pollution mitigation efforts.
This measurement was realized with the IR-neaSCOPE+TERs.
Further reading:
Meyns et al., Analytical Methods 5, 2023
Enhancing Gas Flow in Copolymer Membranes
This study examines the gas permeability and nanoscale morphology of bio-based polyether-block-amide copolymer PEBAX® RNEW membranes, known for high gas separation and eco-friendliness, by comparing solvent casting and extrusion methods. Nano-FTIR spectroscopy provided key insights into local polymer composition and structure, identifying nanoscale features overlooked by traditional techniques. By analyzing sub-micrometer cross-sections with nano-FTIR in the range of 1000 to 1800 cm-1, the authors detected a 50 nm thick crystalline PEO surface layer on extruded membranes. This layer led to up to 50% lower gas permeability compared to solvent-cast membranes. Using nano-FTIR as a standard tool could allow precise control over membrane properties, enhancing applications like carbon capture, natural gas processing, and hydrogen production.
IR-neaSCOPE advances gas separation technology by revealing polymer crystalline status, enhancing understanding of membrane morphology and gas permeability, and promoting efficient, eco-friendly solutions for gas purification, environmental protection, and sustainable materials industries.
This measurement was realized with the IR-neaSCOPE+s.
Further reading:
David et al., J. Membr. Sci. 708, 123001 (2024)
Coating Protects Ancient Pottery
Neolithic Cucuteni ceramic pottery is a valuable artifact that requires proper protection to ensure its preservation for future generations. In this study, polymer nanostructured material is used as protective coatings for the conservation of such ancient artefacts against UV ageing. In the context of comparative evaluation of the protective efficiency, this article reports the use of a functional coating that operates via specific photochemical transformations at the coating-air interface as a UV resistant protection coating for cultural heritage artefacts. An important finding was related to the decrease of the carbonyl band from 1739 cm-1 and to the appearance of other two additional bands located at 1718 (saturated aliphatic ketone) and 1712 cm-1 (carboxylic acid dimer). In addition, the loss of ester groups may be considered the main degradation process, as illustrated by the decrease of the intensity and area of the 1739 cm-1 main carbonyl stretching band.
This study reports the first investigation of the photodegradation behaviour of protective coatings through nano-FTIR technique.
This measurement was realized with the IR-neaSCOPE+s.
Further reading:
Oancea et al., Materials Degradation 7, 21 (2023)
Lamella-forming PS-b-PMMA Films
A non-invasive, image-based analytic method utilizing s-SNOM is suggested to evaluate the phase separation behavior of lamella-forming PS-b-PMMA block copolymer films. Taking advantage of the penetrability of the tip-enhanced IR signal into the films, the spatio-spectral maps of each component are constructed. Subsequently, the effect of a sole and combinatorial applications of the self-assembly procedures, such as solvent vapour annealing (SVA) and/or thermal annealing (TA), on the spatial distribution of PS or PMMA components is quantitatively assessed in terms of the areal portions of the PS domain, PMMA domain, and the mixed zone that is adjacent to the domain border. Additionally, by statistically comparing the local concentration profiles, the chemical contrast between the domains turns out to be dependent upon the annealing procedures (namely, SVA and SVA+TA).
s-SNOM technique can pave the way to an uncomplicated but precise investigation of the polymer nanostructure-based thin film devices, whose performances are critically governed by the spatial arrangement of the chemical elements.
This measurement was realized with the IR-neaSCOPE.
Further reading: Kim et al., Spectrochimica Acta Part A 274, 121095 (2022)
Organic Semiconductors
Semiconductors based on organic polymers have several advantages over their conventional, mostly silicon-based cousins. They are simpler and cheaper to manufacture, and can be produced in the form of thin, flexible layers, which allows them to be attached to diverse substrates and surfaces. Their electrical conductivity and energy efficiency are a function of the properties of the materials of which they are made. This degree of molecular order affects the mobility and transport of the charge carriers within them. Up until now, it has been very difficult to access these structures experimentally. s-SNOM and nano-FTIR make a valuable contribution to our understanding of these layered systems and to organic electronics in general.
s-SNOM & nano-FTIR is ideally suited for monitoring and optimize growth parameters to get highly ordered organic films and thus faster devices with crucial impact in development of optoelectronic devices such as OLED technology, or organic solar cells.
This measurement was realized with the IR-neaSCOPE+s.
E-Book on Polymer Nanostructures
Nanocomposite polymers, multilayer thin films, nanofibers and other polymer nanoforms often offer new properties or enhanced performance compared to bulk materials, demanding tools for chemical analysis with nanoscale spatial resolution for their investigations. We introduce in this e-book leading techniques for nanoscale chemical mapping and identification.
Applications covered in this e-book:
- Nanoscale chemical identification using standard IR database,
- IR nanoimaging of polymer films, nanoparticles & monolayers,
- Molecular conformation and orientation in an ultrathin polymer film,
- Hyperspectral & correlative nanoscopy of polymer composites.
This measurement was realized with the IR-neaSCOPE.
Further reading:
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