This book has several goals, the most important of which is to describe, in a readable form, the many options available to the professional spectroscopist for the analysis of polymer blends, composites, and surfaces. For that reason, no attempt is made to provide a complete compendium of the research, since that is readily available in computerized literature searches. The author has also kept mathematical derivations to a minimum, with an emphasis placed instead on readability and accessibility. The book shows industrial, government, and academic users of infrared spectroscopy how to solve practical problems with a broad range of techniques, succinctly describing the many options available for the analysis of polymer blends and other materials. A tutorial format will aid self-study and use in academic courses. In featuring a broad range of sampling techniques, the author stresses quantification as well as the recognition and avoidance of artifacts. The characterization of polymer blends and composites is reviewed in detail. Raman spectroscopy and alternative methods for obtaining vibrational spectra are also carefully discussed.
