Use of TG/FT-IR in material characterization

The use of thermogravimetry (TG) in series with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy enhances some of the capabilities of both analytical techniques. TG continues to be an useful method for understanding how the mass of a sample changes as a function of time and temperature, but TG cannot tell us exactly what is happening during transitions. FT-IR is useful for understanding the qualitative nature of molecules and mixtures. However, FT-IR often cannot tell us what happened during a thermal transition if all we can do is examine the sample before and after it is heated. By combining the two methods, an FT-IR spectrometer can monitor the effluent of a TG and allow us to analyze the evolved gas. TG/FT-IR can be used to monitor many types of thermal experiments including cure profiles, solder reflow profiles, and material decomposition. In simple experiments, it can be used to discern subtle differences between what should be identical materials. A summary of recent analyses will be presented.