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Publications in Scientific Journals:

B. Baumgartner, S. Freitag, B. Lendl:
"3D Printing for Low-Cost and Versatile Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy";
Analytical Chemistry, 92 (2020), 7; 4736 - 4741.



English abstract:
In this work, we present a fully 3D-printed module for attenuated
total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy ready for use
in commercial FTIR spectrometers. The developed setup stands out in terms of
robustness and ease of sample application. Rapid prototyping paired with
theoretical considerations were employed to design and fabricate the module.
Cost-efficient commercial available silicon and germanium ATR crystals prepared
from double-sided polished wafers were mounted in the setup. While low-noise
levels and stability bear comparison with commercial systems, the multibounce
ATR crystal´s long interaction pathlengths as well as their interchangeability turns
the presented ATR module into an even more sophisticated tool. The versatility of
the proposed setup is demonstrated for various spectroscopic challenges: Curing of a cyanoacrylate and a two-component epoxy
based adhesive was monitored by tracking polymerization processes at room and high temperatures. To emphasize potential
applications of the disposable ATR module in life science studies exploring potential biohazardous samples, mid-IR spectra of
Escherichia coli and bovine serum albumin were recorded. The total printing time of the ATR module is 10.5 h, enabling overnight
fabrication at a total cost ranging from 150 to 613 Euro, making the high versatility of ATR spectroscopy accessible to a broader
audience. This proves the potential of 3D printing to generate optical instruments tailored to the needs of individual analytical
problems.


"Official" electronic version of the publication (accessed through its Digital Object Identifier - DOI)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04043


Created from the Publication Database of the Vienna University of Technology.