Design and Performances of a Carbon Monoxide Sensor Using Mid-Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy Technique at 4.6 µm

Based on infrared absorption spectroscopy technique, a carbon monoxide sensor was developed using the fundamental absorption band of carbon monoxide molecule at the wavelength around 4.6 µm. The developed sensor consists of pulse-modulated wideband incandescence, open ellipsoid light-collector gas-cell, dual-channel detector, and control and signal-processing module. With the prepared standard carbon monoxide gas sample, sensing characteristics on carbon monoxide were investigated using the sensor. Experimental results reveal that the limit of detection is about 10 ppm, the relative error at the limit of detection point is less than 14%, and that is less than 7.8% within the low concentration range of 20～180 ppm. The maximum absolute errors of 50 min long-term measurement on the 0 and 14 ppm CO gas samples are about 3 and 3.17 ppm, respectively, and the standard deviations are as small as 0.18 and 1.25 ppm, respectively. Compared with the reported carbon monoxide detection systems utilizing quantum cascaded lasers and distributed feedback lasers, the proposed sensor shows potential applications in carbon monoxide detection under the circumstances of coal-mine and environmental protection, by virtue of high performance, low cost, simple optical structure, and so on.     

Analysis of the Chemical Composition of Red Pigments and Inks for the Characterization and Differentiation of Contemporary Prints

Prints are one of the most popular artistic forms. They consist of an original matrix that is printed on a paper support. The stamps are part of a series, and each series is composed of a particular number of prints. Many contemporary prints are made using oil inks and synthetic pigments (reds and yellows). Inks are mainly composed of pigments (organic or inorganic) and a binding medium. The analysis of inks has the potential to facilitate and complement the identification of stamps of different origins.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) are techniques that are typically available in museums and centers related to the study of works of art. Both can be classified as micro-destructive and provide complementary information about the organic and some inorganic compounds (FTIR), and the elemental composition (SEM-EDX). In this article, the two techniques were used to analyze the composition of red ink in prints. As a result of these analyses, it was possible to distinguish among nearly all of the pigments and inks, indicating that the composition of the red ink can be reliably used to differentiate between stamps of different origins in a series of prints.     

Red/Near‐Infrared Emissive Metalloporphyrin‐Based Nanodots for Magnetic Resonance Imaging‐Guided Photodynamic Therapy In Vivo

Near‐infrared emissive (NIR) porphyrin‐implanted carbon nanodots (PCNDs or MPCNDs) are prepared by selectively carbonization of free base or metal complexes [M = Zn(II) or Mn(III)] of tetra‐(meso‐aminophenyl)porphyrin in the presence of citric acid. The as‐prepared nanodots exhibit spontaneously NIR emission, small size, good aqueous dispersibility, and favorable biocompatibility characteristic of both porphyrins and pristine carbon nanodots. The subcellular localization experiment of nanodots indicates a lysosome‐targeting feature. And the in vitro photodynamic therapy (PDT) results on HeLa cells indicate the nanodots alone have no adverse effect on tumor cells, but display remarkable photodynamic efficacy upon irradiation. Moreover, MnPCNDs containing paramagnetic Mn(III) ions, which possesses good biocompatibility, NIR luminescence, and magnetic resonance imaging and efficient singlet oxygen production, are further studied in magnetic resonance imaging‐guided photodynamic therapy in vivo.     

Liquid crystal mixtures for potential infrared applications

Liquid crystals (LCs) with diazo linkages have high dielectric and optical anisotropy. Two newly synthesized liquid crystalline compounds were dissolved in room temperature LC hosts, E7 and PTTP-24/36, to assess their properties. It was found that these mixtures have higher birefringence, larger dielectric anisotropy, and better elastic properties than the hosts. Satisfactory viscoelastic coefficients were also obtained for these mixtures, showing that they are promising LC materials for applications in the near IR region.     

Development of Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy Models for Quantitative Determination of Water-Soluble Carbohydrate Content in Wheat Stem and Glume

Water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) reserved in stem is an important agronomic trait for crop improvement. The intact samples and pieces of chipped samples were employed to determine WSC content by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). Three NIRS models were developed to predict WSC content in wheat stem lower internode, upmost internode, and wheat glume, respectively. Moreover, a mixed model was developed for WSC quantitative analysis in the mixed sample of the three wheat organs. Statistics analysis indicated that the four models showed a high determination coefficient (R² ≥ 0.97) and ratio of standard deviation to RMSECV (RPD ≥ 5.99). The NIRS models would allow rapid and high throughout assessments and selections of WSC contents in wheat genetics and breeding programs.     

Molecular Recognition in Glycolaldehyde,the Simplest Sugar: Two Isolated Hydrogen Bonds Win Over One Cooperative Pair

Carbohydrates are used in nature as molecular recognition tools. Understanding their conformational behavior upon aggregation helps in rationalizing the way in which cells and bacteria use sugars to communicate. Here, the simplest α-hydroxy carbonyl compound, glycolaldehyde, was used as a model system. It was shown to form compact polar C₂-symmetric dimers with intermolecular O–H⋅⋅⋅O=C bonds, while sacrificing the corresponding intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Supersonic jet infrared (IR) and Raman spectra combined with high-level quantum chemical calculations provide a consistent picture for the preference over more typical hydrogen bond insertion and addition patterns. Experimental evidence for at least one metastable dimer is presented. A rotational spectroscopy investigation of these dimers is encouraged, also in view of astrophysical searches. The binding motif competition of aldehydic sugars might play a role in chirality recognition phenomena of more complex derivatives in the gas phase.     

A Wall Effect in the Photothermal Beam Deflection Response of Infrared-Absorbing Gases

FTIR photothermal beam deflection (PBD) spectroscopy was used to record PBD spectra of IR-absorbing gases in presence of IR-absorbing and non-absorbing solids. The presence of the solid, IR-absorbing or not, causes asymmetry at the juncture of the IR and probe laser     

Infrared Observation of the Effects of Aqueous Oxidizing Agents on the Functional Groups on Carbon Surfaces

FTIR photothermal beam deflection spectroscopy (PBDS) was used to record infrared spectra of medium-temperature carbons before and after they had been subjected to treatments with aqueous HNO₃ or H₂O₂ solution. Changes in the functional groups present on the carbon surfaces can be clearly observed.     

Monitoring of the shrinkage during the photopolymerization of acrylates using hyphenated photorheometry/near‐infrared spectroscopy

This article describes a new method for the quantitative determination and time‐resolved monitoring of the polymerization shrinkage during ultraviolet (UV) photopolymerization. It is based on rheometry using a modified oscillating rheometer. Shrinkage is determined from the decrease of the gap between the rheometer plates. Moreover, near‐infrared (NIR) spectra can be recorded directly in the rheometer, which allows continuous determination of the conversion at any time of a shrinkage measurement. As both shrinkage and conversion data come from the same experiment, shrinkage can be analyzed in dependence on the current conversion achieved during UV irradiation, which enables direct investigation of correlations between both parameters. Hyphenated photorheometry/FT‐NIR spectroscopy was used for the determination of the polymerization shrinkage of pure acrylate monomers and oligomers as well as acrylate‐based formulations. Quantitative shrinkage values were found to be in excellent correlation with data that were determined by an independent method (via buoyancy measurements) and data from literature. Furthermore, the effect of ambient and irradiation conditions or the content of nanoparticles on the degree of shrinkage was studied. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 729–739     

Observation of the Q(3/2) Λ-doublet transitions for X2Π3/2 OD in helium nanodroplets

The deuteroxyl radical (OD) has been isolated in superfluid helium nanodroplets and characterised by infrared depletion spectroscopy. Two resolved Q(3/2) lines are observed, with a separation that is 4.88 (10) times larger than in the gas phase. This is similar to that previously reported for He-solvated OH (5.30 (2)), for which it was shown that the splitting could be reproduced by a model that assumes a small parity dependence of the rotor's effective moment of inertia [P.L. Raston, T. Liang, and G.E. Douberly, J. Phys. Chem. A (2013). DOI:10.1021/jp312335q]. With this model, the OD Λ-doublet splitting in liquid He is reproduced with B^e and B^f rotational constants that differ by ≈0.24%.