Fibre Photonics has introduced a range of polycrystalline mid-infrared fibre optics, which are flexible, durable and highly transmissive within the mid-infrared region (3,300-550cm-1). As a material for robust attenuated total reflectance (ATR) immersion probes for mid-infrared spectroscopy, the fibres provide the capability to accurately monitor and quantify the formation and reactive activity of key functional groups through their individual fundamental vibrations.
The range of immersion probes are offered as a real-time in situ reaction monitoring solution within a laboratory and production environment. Each probe can be coupled to an FTIR spectrometer by means of SMA connectors, and each has been designed to withstand the ever changing requirements of a development laboratory, especially where high throughput or scale-up reactions are being monitored.
Several key functional groups can be investigated using the broad spectral range of one single mid-infrared immersion probe, including carbonyl, unsaturated hydrocarbon, amine and alkyl halide containing compounds. Each probe offers a real-time insight into common reactions used in the development of API’s, biofuels, fine and bulk chemicals including addition, substitution and condensation reactions as well as oxidation and reduction reactions. The close monitoring of the reactivity results in faster scale-up and reaction optimisation resulting in R&D time being saved in the laboratory.