New FTIR Microscope Now Available in the ARC!

We’re excited to announce the arrival of the PerkinElmer Spotlight 400 FTIR Microscope! This powerful tool combines infrared spectroscopy with microscopy to enable chemical imaging and microstructure analysis of materials at the micron scale, ideal for studying polymers, microplastics, coatings, fibers, thin films, and other heterogeneous samples.

The FTIR microscope offers a faster, easier, and more cost-effective screening option compared to some of the more complex techniques in the ARC like SEM, making it a great first step for chemical and spatial analysis down to ~7 micron resolution (1.6 microns with additional optics). The instrument can scan 2 mm x 2 mm areas to obtain optical and chemical maps of samples to automatically determine the materials present in a heterogeneous sample.

This capability will benefit researchers across chemistry, materials science, engineering, environmental science, and biology who are interested in chemical mapping or contaminant identification in complex samples.

Training will be available starting July 21 with Ethan Crace. Requests can be submitted via iLab.

Trained users will have access to a 2-month free demo period (August-September) to test and explore the system with their own samples.

If you have samples you would like to test or want further information, contact Dr. Ethan Crace ([email protected]).