Infrared Spectroscopy of Polymers

Abstract

Abstract Since 1945 inrared (IR) spectroscopy has become one of the most important methods for characterizing and studying the chemical and physical structure of compounds. Especially in the polymer field, IR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy have proved valuable for analytical and structural investigations. An IR spectrum of a polymer sample provides the following qualitative and quantitative information about the chemical and physical structure of the polymer under consideration: Chemical nature of the polymer: type and degree of branching, nature of end groups, impurities, etc. Steric order: cis-trans isomerism, stereoregularity, etc. Conformational order: physical arrangement of a polymer chain, planar zigzag conformation, helix conformation, etc. Crystallinity: number of chains per unit cell, intermolecular forces, etc.