An assessment of various powdered baby formulas by conventional methods (DSC) or FT-IR spectroscopy

Milk components are assumed to be uniformly distributed in a concentrate whilst it is being dried. During milk powder production, these components are redistributed in the drying droplets and the powder surface composition is significantly different from that of the bulk of it. The objective of this article was to analyze and compare phase transitions of powdered baby formulas as well as to make a study of their FT-IR spectra. Food powders of different composition were tested by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC, TA Instruments Q 200) with a normal pressure cell and a System 2000 spectrophotometer. Significant differences were observed in the shape of curves of the mixtures and the agglomerates. The observed phase transitions in powders depended on fat content. Characteristic peaks of melting lactose were observed in the curves of the powdered baby formulas. The IR spectra proved to be useful in determining adulteration of baby formulas. Both methods were complimentary during a thorough evaluation of these food powders.     

The use of DSC and FT-IR spectroscopy for evaluation of oxidative stability of interesterified fats

The aim of this paper was to assess the oxidative stability of structured lipids synthesized by enzymatic interesterification of a blend of lard and rapeseed oil with concentrates of n ? 3 fatty acids. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to evaluate the oxidation induction time of interesterified fats as a parameter assessing resistance of tested fats to their thermal-oxidative decomposition. Moreover, the IR spectra registered in the classic spectral range (4000–400 cm^?1) were used to differentiate the samples of interesterified fats. The results show that the interesterification process decreased the induction time. Increased content polar fraction in the interesterified fatty product can reduce its resistance to oxidation. FT-IR data of selected spectral ranges correlate with the value of induction time at a statistically significant level. This is a proof that chemical changes occurring during different treatments of the starting mixture can be monitored by FT-IR spectroscopy. Moreover, obtained correlations can be used for the evaluation of an induction value of an unknown oil sample.     

Wood identification using pressure DSC data

This work addresses the problem of supervised classification of industrial wood species (seven different types in the present study) through their thermo‐oxidative stability. This is evaluated by pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) using the ASTM E2009. The maximization of the ratio of correct classification and the reduction of the costs of this activity are intended. This supervised classification problem was carried out using two different proposals: applying novel nonparametric functional data analysis techniques, based on kernel estimation, to the original PDSC curves, and using machine learning classification approaches applied to different multivariate data sets. The multivariate data sets were obtained, on the one hand, by estimating the fractal (Hausdorff) dimension of the PDSC curves by several methods, jointly with selecting the parameters from fitting a nonlinear model to the PDSC curves and, on the other hand, applying principal component analysis or partial linear squares to the thermograms. The results obtained show that the PDSC curves can be used to discriminate wood samples when these innovative and traditional statistical techniques are applied. In the best of the cases, a probability of correct classification that equals to 0.92 was obtained. PDSC represents a new alternative to the use of images, spectra, and other thermal signals as thermogravimetric analysis for classification purposes.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Laser spark formamide decomposition studied by FT-IR spectroscopy

High-resolution FT-IR spectroscopy was used for the analysis of the products of formamide dissociation using a high-energy Asterix laser. In the experiment, the detected products of the formamide LIDB dissociation were hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydroxylamine, and methanol. The molecular dynamics of the process was simulated with the use of a chemical model. The chemistry shared by formamide and the products of its dissociation is discussed with the respect to the formation of biomolecules.     

Structural characterization of steam-heat treated Tectona grandis wood analyzed by FT-IR and 2D-IR correlation spectroscopy

The properties of wood can be improved through steam-heat treatment.There are many studies about mechanical properties of steam-heat treated wood,but very few studies are on the aspects of chemical modifications.In this study,FT-IR spectra combined with SD-IR spectra,correlation coefficients and 2DIR spectra are employed to analyze the chemical modifications of teak[Tectona grandis L.F.) wood during steam-heat treatment under treatment temperatures from 120 ℃ to 220 ℃ at intervals of 20 ℃.Acetic acid,which is produced during steam-heat treatment,acts as a catalyst of condensation and degradation reactions of wood components.The changes of wood components are more and more intense with increasing the treatment temperature.The sensitivity of wood samples to thermal perturbation rises initially with increasing treatment temperature before falling back.The steam-heat treated wood under180℃ is the most sensitive.     

Microimaging FT-IR spectroscopy on pathological breast tissues

Microimaging Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is able to monitor differentiation between normal and malignant tissues. All the specimens, previously submitted to histological analysis, displayed abnormal spectra compared with the corresponding normal tissues with changes in many diagnostic bands like those arising from phosphate, C–O and CH stretching vibrational modes. The comparison between cancer (K) and connective (C) spectra evidenced the following differences: in the vCH region 3000–2800 cm⁻¹ no hypomethylation effect was evident in K; the convolution of the bands of connective indicated an expected higher membrane fluidity; in the neoplastic zone, Amide I and II modes showed convoluted bands with maxima at 1651 and 1547 cm⁻¹, respectively, indicating an α-helix conformation of proteins due to changes in the secondary structure proteins upon carcinogenesis. Other signature bands, such as the deformation O–P–O phosphate band at 965 cm⁻¹, suggested DNA conformational changes in solid cancer, infiltrating cancer and neoplasia in the region 1350–800 cm⁻¹. These characteristic bands have been monitored as a function of the degree of cancer progression. Chemometric methods, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) have been used in order to distinguish spectra of neoplastic and normal zones.     

Reinforcement characterization of metal matrix composites by DSC technique

The metal matrix composites (MMC) being of very high interest for the aerospace industry, particularly to build up thermal-structural components, it is important to have available methods which are easy and simple to conduct for characterization of the mechanical strength of the material.This study shows that the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) may enable us to quantify the energy of cohesion in the fiber/matrix interface area of an aluminium composite reinforced by SiC whiskers.The energy of cohesion is dependent on the state of reinforcement compared to the matrix strength and take into account both chemical and mechanical characteristics of the cohesion in the fiber/matrix interface area. However, this method would require a systematic calibration based on tests of mechanical characteristics.

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Zusammenfassung Metallmatrixverbundwerkstoffe (MMC) sind für die Raumfahrtindustrie von großem Interesse, insbesondere zum Bau thermisch-struktureller Komponenten ist es wichtig, Methoden zur Verfügung zu haben, die leicht und einfach zur Charakterisierung der mechanischen Festigkeit der Materialien benutzt werden können.Es wurde gezeigt, daß DSC es ermöglicht, die Kohäsionsenergie im Fiber/Matrix-Grenzflächengebiet eines mit SiC-Whiskern verstärkten Aluminiumverbundstoffes quantitativ zu bestimmen.Diese Kohäsionsenergie ist abgängig vom Verstärkungsgrad bezogen auf die Matrixfestigkeit und berücksichtigt sowohl die chemischen als auch mechanischen Eigenschaften der Kohäsion im Fiber/Matrix-Grenzflächengebiet.In jedem Falle bedarf diese Methode einer systematischen Kalibrierung anhand von Test der mechanischen Eigenschaften.

     

Determination of cis and trans configurations in pentahydrobenzopyranopyrroles by FT-IR spectroscopy

A method of distinguishing cis and trans isomers in polyheterocycles containing β,β′-disubstituted pyrrolidines is described. It is based on the relative absorbance of the Bohlmann bands and the normal symmetric CH stretching bands. The method is applied using FT-IR spectroscopy in solution and coupled with gas chromatography. An interpretation is given, with the help of molecular computing.     

Polarized FT-IR photoacoustic spectroscopy on polymer fibers

The orientation of macromolecular chains in two melt-spun polymer fibers (segmented polyurethane elastomer and melt-modified polyolefine fibers) was studied by photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) with polarized light in the mid-infrared range. The PAS orientation functions calculated from the photoacoustic signal intensities of orientation sensitive bands describe the orientation of the different chain segments with respect to the fiber axis. Thus, the orientation of hard and soft segments in the unstressed polyurethane fiber is different and both are similiar to that of the corresponding injection molded bars. With increased spinning velocity an improved orientation of the polyolefine chains along the fiber axis, but only in the amorphous regions of the polymer, were detected. Only a slight reduction of orientation was measured as a result of the subsequent chemical crosslinking in the polyolefines.     

Investigation of thermally activated or photoinitiated polymerization by DSC

Differential scanning calorimetry is undoubtedly one of the most powerful techniques for investigating the reactions leading to thermoplastic or thermosetting materials. The conditions for the obtaining of reliable experimental results are summarized. A mechanism for the curing of epoxyamine systems is suggested, which is capable of describing the behaviour of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric mixtures up to high reaction degrees. The advantage of coupling a DSC instrument with a device for the photochemical activation of polymerizations is demonstrated by some examples.

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Zusammenfassung Die Differential-Scanning-Kalorimetrie (DSC) gehört ohne Zweifel zu den leistungsfähigsten Methoden der Untersuchung von Bildungsreaktionen thermoplastischer und thermisch härtbarer Substanzen. Die Bedingungen zur Gewinnung zuverlässiger experimenteller Ergebnisse werden zusammengestellt. Für die Härtung von Epoxid-Amin-Systemen wird ein Mechanismus vorgeschlagen, der das Verhalten stöchiometrischer und nichtstöchiometrischer Mischungen bis zu hohen Umsätzen beschreiben kann. Die Vorzüge der Kopplung eines DSC-Instruments mit einer Einrichtung für die photochemische Aktivierung von Polymerisationen wird an einigen Beispielen demonstriert.

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Bioadhesive properties of a polyaminoacidic hydrogel: evaluation by ATR FT-IR spectroscopy

The bioadhesive properties of a novel chemical hydrogel based on a polymer of protein-like structure, have been investigated by using ATR FT-IR spectroscopy. In particular, the copolymer PHG obtained by partial derivatization of PHEA with GMA was chemically crosslinked by UV irradiation at 313 nm. Crosslinked PHG was treated with water to obtain a swelled sample, named PHG-UV gel, that was brought into contact with a phosphate buffer/citric acid solution at pH 7.0 in the absence or in the presence of mucin at various concentrations (0.01, 0.1 and 1 wt.-%). Preliminary dynamic swelling studies have evidenced the occurrence of an interaction between the PHG-UV gel and the glycoprotein. This result was confirmed by ATR FT-IR measurements. A diffusion model using a solution of Ficks' second law was employed to determine the diffusion coefficient of water into PHG-UV gel as a consequence of adsorption and/or interdiffusion which occur at the PHG-UV gel/mucin solution interface. Experimental results suggest a potential use of PHG-UV gel to prepare bioadhesive devices.     

Determination of structural modification in acid activated montmorillonite clay by FT-IR spectroscopy

The structural modifications and the Bronsted acid sites generated during the acid treatment of montmorillonite clay with varied concentration of sulphuric acid was determined using FT-IR spectroscopy. Octahedral sheet is affected at low acid concentration resulting into the dissolution of cations; among them Mg2+ cations are prone to dissolve than Fe2+/3+ and Al3+. Tetrahedral sheet is affected at higher acid concentration. The partial substitution of octahedral Al3+ by Mg2+ or Fe2+/3+ cations and the presence of other non-smectite minerals such as kaolinites was also been clearly identified, thus making FT-IR spectroscopy as a rapid technique for monitoring the structural features of montmorillonite clay.     

Measurement of transmission properties of optical fibers for telecommunications by FT-IR spectroscopy

The transmission properties of optical fibers are measured with a modified commercial Fourier transform spectrometer. Examples for spectral attenuation loss measurements are given for silica fibers, fibers of PMMA, and those of zirkonium fluoride.     

Differentiation of solvated spironolactone samples by FT-Raman and FT-IR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

Summary Five solvates of spironolactone were prepared by crystallization from absolute methanol, acetonitrile, absolute ethanol, ethyl acetate, and benzene, and characterized by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and by FT-Raman spectroscopy. Of these solvates, all were found to be monosolvated except that formed with acetonitrile which gave a spironolactone-acetonitrile (2:1) complex as determined by elemental microanalysis. Distinctive IR and Raman spectral features of the solvates are discussed. Remarkable similarity is seen in the Raman spectra (1800–400 cm^–1) of the solvates obtained from methanol, ethanol, and ethyl acetate. The Raman spectrum of the benzene solvate is particularly useful for showing the presence of benzene because of the very intense band near 1000 cm^–1 which is unique to the Raman effect.Presented at the 36th Canadian Spectroscopy Conference, 1–3 August 1990, at Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada     

Thermal characterization of poly-l-lactide by dielectric analysis and modulated DSC

Dielectric analysis (DEA) is a very sensitive technique, which allows for detection of small structural changes at the low scale. An advantage of DEA, with respect to other modulated techniques, is the possibility of using a wider frequency range. Molecular relaxations of the order of only a few nanometers are not observed by any other thermoanalytic method. Nevertheless, these small relaxations involve dipole changes that can be observed by DEA. Thus, this technique is used here, in combination with temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) to obtain insightful information about the thermal transitions of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), one of the stereo-isomers of polylactide. Its complex thermal behavior is the subject of ongoing debate, with several overlapping crystallization and melting processes. The combined use of TMDSC and DEA provides a better insight of three important transitions of this polymer: the alpha relaxation, the enthalpic relaxation, and the cold crystallization. The dependences of the enthalpy relaxation on the dynamic glass transition relaxation and on the glass transition as a thermal event are evaluated. On the other hand, it will be shown how the cold crystallization can be identified by TMDSC, and DEA helps us understand the effect of crystallization on the dipole movements. The shape of the dielectric permittivity curve at low frequencies is compared to that of the reversing heat capacity to check whether both signals are sensitive or not to the same events. It is also verified how the experimental results of alpha relaxation of PLLA follow an Arrhenius or a Vogel trend.     

A new accessory for the detection of trace components by FT-IR spectroscopy

We have developed a specific compartment to increase the sensitivity of a routine FT-IR spectrometer. A high performance MCT detector has been included in the system. The SNR of the spectrometer has been improved by a factor of 10.     

Routine FT-Raman spectroscopy with modified standard FT-IR instrument

A commercial FT-IR spectrometer (BRUKER IFS 66) was combined with a Raman module, having an NdYAG laser as source, a sample compartment, a filter for elimination of the exciting line from the spectrum and a detector. The interferometer and computer of the IFS 66 was used to record Raman spectra of small amounts of liquids and solids using a spherical sapphire sample cell.     

Instrumentation for FT-IR reflection spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation

A versatile experimental set-up for infrared reflectance measurements with synchrotron radiation and its adaptation to a beamline is presented. Particular consideration is given to the collimation and the polarization of incident radiation. The performance is characterized with experimental results. Due to the high brilliance of the synchrotron radiation source, the irradiation of samples smaller than 1 mm(2) was found to be improved by more than one order of magnitude when compared to a globar.     

Molecular imaging of paper cross sections by FT-IR spectroscopy and principal component analysis

The molecular imaging of paper cross sections containing the wet-strength additive poly(amidoamine)–epichlorohydrin (PAE) was effected by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic imaging. Thin cross sections of laboratory sheet samples were prepared and transferred onto CaF₂ substrates. A laboratory sheet sample without PAE acted as a reference. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to identify and to reveal the distribution of PAE across the section. Differences in the loading plots of the fourth and fifth principal components for the sheets with and without PAE were found in the region of the amide I, amide II, and amine bands within a variance of 0.4–0.8 %. The score images of the PCA reveal inhomogeneous distribution of PAE. Small areas of higher concentration of PAE occur across the cross section. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that FT-IR spectroscopic imaging provides spatially resolved quantitative information about the chemical composition of paper, which was successfully achieved.