Infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy in catalysis and surface science

The analysis of solid samples can often be a difficult problem for the researchers dealing with infrared (IR) spectroscopy. In conventional absorption spectroscopy the measurement of absorption is transferred to that of the radiation transmitted through the sample. Three methods stand out as being more suitable for studying solid materials. These methods are: diffuse reflectance (DR), photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), and Fourier transform (FT) Raman. All three methods require little or no sample preparation, and therefore are ideal for the samples that may change during the preparation as mineral oil mulls or KBr disks. In the case of PAS, the adsorbed radiation is determined directly via its heat and hence the sound produced in the sample. Fourier transform infrared PAS (FT-IR/PAS) is one of the main IR techniques which can be successfully applied in catalysis and surface science research. Recent examples of this spectroscopic technique application will be presented.