Quest diamond ATR

Learn how the Specac Quest™ can be used to quickly identify impurities in your plastic materials.

As global concerns over plastic waste and landfill overflow grow, the need for efficient recycling solutions has never been greater. One critical challenge in plastic recycling is accurately identifying and separating different polymer types to ensure high-quality reuse. Despite best efforts, contamination remains a persistent issue—making precise impurity detection essential.

In this application note, discover how Specac used FTIR spectroscopy and chemometric analysis to effectively quantify polypropylene (PP) impurities in polyethylene (PE). Learn how the Specac Quest™ single-reflection ATR is specifically designed for mid- and far-IR applications, featuring an advanced gold-coated, all-reflective optical design powered by Specac’s proprietary Synopti-Focal array technology.

Download the application note now to explore cutting-edge techniques for ensuring the purity of your recycled plastics.

Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is used to probe the molecular vibrations of a sample, generating a chemical fingerprint from the molecules present within the beam of light. The technique has been employed in numerous ways across multiple fields, but whatever the aim of the experiment, an accessory is required to contain the matter under study and direct the light onto it.

In this application eBook, we review the literature for some of the most advanced FTIR spectroscopy products and explore cutting-edge research across a diverse range of fields, including sections on:

• Liquid transmission analysis – from the analysis of biodiesel blends to the detection of fake fish oil
• Attenuated total reflectance – the basics, penetration depth, advanced measurements, and more
• Advanced spectroscopy – including catalytic studies and the spectroscopy of gases

In this application note, find out how the ArrowTM consumable ATR opens the door to routine batch ATR in multiple-day experiments and how it is designed to handle difficult to clean samples. Discover how silicon ATR consumable technology helps you zero in on your analysis. Designed for the QuestTM ATR accessory, ArrowTM allows rapid assessment of a range of liquid analytes.

Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is used to probe the molecular vibrations of a sample generating a chemical fingerprint from the molecules present within the beam of light. The technique has been employed in numerous ways across multiple fields, but whatever the aim of the experiment, an accessory is required to contain the matter under study and direct the light onto it.

For the past 50 years, Specac’s products have been at the forefront of scientific endeavor, driving innovation and answering critical questions across a range of scientific fields. In this application eBook, we review the literature for some of its most advanced products and explore the cutting-edge research undertaken by its customers, including sections on:

• Investigation of pharmaceutical dosage forms
• Understanding reaction mechanisms
• Catalytic studies
• Spectroscopy of gases
• Interstellar spectroscopy

This application note shows how the Specac Quest ATR, combined with an IR spectrometer, is a fast and effective tool to analyze a range of cleaning products, in a non-destructive analytical technique that’s perfect for quick on-line sample characterization.

This application note describes the simple analysis of winter rosebuds of different ages, using attenuated total reflectance (ATR).

In this application note, discover how Attenuated Total Reflectance spectroscopy is utilized as a fast method for analyzing solid and liquid drug samples non-destructively. The Quest™ ATR accessory allows the user to quickly record qualitative and quantitative spectra, to test which drug is present in the sample and in what proportions.

Commercially, IR spectroscopy is used to test for consistency in batches of leather and to uncover fraud. This application note describes how attenuated total reflectance (ATR) accessories, like the QuestTM, enable users to test a variety of leathers quickly and efficiently.

The Quest™ ATR accessory lets the user test various samples without the need for any sample preparation. This application note compares IR spectroscopy with ATR for analysis of theophylline.

IR spectroscopy is a useful tool for group chemical species identification of a wide variety of sample materials, particularly for the classification of “organic” chemical materials based upon carbon atoms being present in the molecular structure. Many plastic and polymeric type samples which can be included in the category of organic molecular materials can be classified into particular “family” groupings and it is possible to identify the sample family types both qualitatively and quantitatively by use of the Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) technique as an IR measurement. In this application note the Specac Quest ATR accessory with diamond crystal puck was used for measurement of a variety of plastic/polymer sample types.

'Winning a Seal of Quality on the SelectScience Reviews Program is such an honor and so useful.' These are the words of a delighted Michael Lever, digital marketing manager with Specac. In this video, Lever goes on explains how the program helps to inform the Specac team not just about how its customers feel about its products but also about how they are using them, enabling Specec to tailor products effectively to the needs and applications of scientists and to ensure they offer top quality after-sales care too.

Watch this video to learn how activated carbon is used extensively for the purification of drinking water. Dr Geoff Fowler, Imperial College London, describes the benefits of using ATR technology over traditional KBr discs for use with FT-IR to simply and efficiently analyze activated carbon samples.

In this video, PhD students and research associates from Newcastle University, UK, talk about their research into carbon capture – the conversion of carbon dioxide into useful fuels. They discuss how they use the Quest ATR accessory for FTIR-ATR analysis.

This video introduces the Quest ATR Analysis Accessory for mid and far-IR spectroscopy. It demonstrates the easy sample loading and cleaning, shows the Quest’s ATR technique, and shows example of spectra produced by various samples.

In this video learn about Specac’s Quest single reflection ATR accessory. The innovative optical design with an extended wavelength range capability allows high-throughput analysis of your solid, powder, liquid, paste and gel-like samples.

Watch this video to learn about the Quest single-reflection ATR Accessory from Specac, with optical design and durable monolithic diamond ATR crystal. David Smith discusses the Quest's innovative optical design with reflective gold-coated optics, and features Specac's Synopti-Focal Array technology with precision-moulded aspheric mirrors. These features allow for a high throughput accessory with an extended wavelength capability, suitable for both mid- and far-IR spectroscopy. Interview filmed by SelectScience at Pittcon 2014.

Watch this video to learn about the Quest ATR Accessory from Specac, a single-reflection accessory for mid- and far-infrared spectroscopy. Clive Moss describes some of the key features of the Quest accessory including its innovative optical design and durable monolithic diamond ATR crystal option. In addition to describing some of the major benefits, such as the interchangeable pucks and instrument compatibility, Clive discusses some key application areas and demonstrates its ease-of-use. Interview filmed by SelectScience at Pittcon 2013.

Explore a compendium full of tips, tricks, and tools, and explore cutting edge research on FTIR spectroscopy

Mark Hegarty, CEO of Dxcover, reveals how infrared spectroscopy coupled with machine learning could transform the future of cancer diagnosis

Discover how the Quest™ Heated Puck from Specac has been used to analyze physical separation and phase transition temperatures of soaps and foodstuffs

Discover how changes in legislation have impacted on cannabis testing around the world, with solutions ranging from CPC to mass spectrometry

High praise for 5 materials science products on SelectScience

Current presumptive tests for new psychoactive drugs are limited. Hear how one student is thinking outside of the box to develop an innovative new methodology for mephedrone identification

Catch Specac at Pittcon, booth 4141 to learn about all their latest innovations

In this webinar, Spectroscopist Dr Fawzi Abou-Chahine gives an informative introduction to the fundamentals of modern FT-IR spectroscopy