Infrared (IR) imaging & spectroscopy are well-established tools in the field of polymer sciences, offering detailed information such as chemical identification, material composition, molecular orientation, interface interactions and more.

However, the spatial resolution of IR spectroscopy is typically limited by diffraction to about 5 µm, which presents a significant barrier for advancing nanotechnology and developing novel materials with tailored properties, e.g. analyzing local material properties around defects or interfaces.

nano-IR combines atomic force microscopy with infrared spectroscopy to overcome the diffraction limit and provide sub-10 nm-resolved chemical information.

This white paper introduces the two complementary approaches – AFM IR, based on photothermal expansion, and nano FTIR, based on tip scattered IR light – and explains their relevance for different applications. Together, these techniques enable nanoscale chemical identification, composition mapping, crystallinity analysis, assessment of cross linking or degradation in complex polymer systems, and many more. 

Read this white paper to see how nano IR could bring the power of conventional FTIR spectroscopy into the nanoscale regime, offering a powerful, label free tool for advanced polymer characterization and contamination analysis.