Pittcon Review, Appendix VI: Mid-IR
Additional information from the Mid-IR section of the Pittcon Review article.
Manufacturer: ABB Analytical Measurements
Product name: MB-Rx In-Situ Reaction Monitor
FT-IR spectrometer with ATR probe
New this year: The MB-RX enables high performance reaction monitoring without needing to handle liquid nitrogen.
For: Laboratory analysis
Measurement mode: ATR
Specialty accessory Description: Fiber optics + ATR probe
Special features: Uses room temperature DTGS detector. No consumables or maintenance required.
Software: Available as separate product, 21CFR11-compliant, cGMP-compliant, may be used in other equipment
Suggested applications: In-situ chemical reaction monitoring
Primary benefits: No need to worry about nitrogen supply for cooled detector. Provides LOD of 0.1% w/w acetone in toluene.
Unique features: 10 years maintenance-free
Manufacturer: Anasys Instruments
Product name: nanoIR 100 nm IR spectroscopy
High spatial resolution mid-IR spectrometer
New this year: The nanoIR now has arbitrary polarization control, enabling researchers to study molecular orientation with nanoscale spatial resolution.
For: Laboratory analysis
Accessory/component: Polarization accessory to our nanoIR product
Measurement mode: Transmission
Specialty accessory Description: The accessory enables arbitrary polarization control on the nanoIR, thus enabling researchers to study molecular orientation with nanoscale spatial resolution.
Suggested applications: Anywhere study of molecular orientation is important, for example, fibers or oriented polymers, etc.
Primary benefits: Can provide molecular orientation on a single fiber.
Manufacturer: Block Engineering
Product name: LaserBench
Mid-IR tunable QC laser benchtop spectrometer
New this year: Brand-new product. Benchtop broadly tunable laser-based infrared spectrometer. Capable of extended performance compared to FT-IR. Uses standard FT-IR accessories.
For: Laboratory analysis
Special features: A quantum cascade laser (QCL) spectrometer that is the first of its kind; designed into a laboratory instrument. Accepts most standard FT-IR accessories, file structure supports GRAMS .SPC data format.
Suggested applications: All standard applications considered for FT-IR, but capable of handling more difficult samples, in particular those requiring more energy for good quality spectra.
Primary benefits: Capable of providing higher quality infrared spectral data when compared to a traditional FT-IR instrument.
Unique features: Infrared instrument that uses a quantum cascade laser as the IR source
Manufacturer: Block Engineering
Product name: LaserScan analyzer
Portable or benchtop mid-IR laser spectrometer for open path and stand-off measurements
For: Lab analysis
New this year: Fully self-contained to enable stand-off measurements at distances from 6 in. Used for gas/vapor detection in an open path (retro-reflective) configuration.
Portable: 10 x 8 x 5 in. (254 x 203 x 127 mm)
Accessory/component: Open cell attachment for extended path vapor measurements
Measurement mode: Diffuse reflection or transflectance
Specialty accessory Description: Tunable mid-IR laser analyzer; over ranges of 1600–1000 cm-1 and 1430–830 cm-1
Special features: Portable with carrying handle, continuous or step scan tuning; Pulse rate: 200kHz, insensitive to stray light; Line width: <1 cm-1, Spectral resolution software selectable (1, 2, 4, and 8 cm-1); Average power: 0.5–12 mW over full spectral range; Vertically polarized collimated beam. Integrated MCT detector.
Suggested applications: Surface contamination studies, identification of spills, bulk or trace level measurements, open space gas/vapor identification and monitoring.
Primary benefits: Covers the fingerprint region, no sample preparation needed.
Unique features: Noncontact sample identification of 2 μg/cm2. ID in bulk or trace levels. Targeting visible laser included for accurate sample locating. Laser is eyesafe.
Manufacturer: FTRX LLC
Product name: Monolith 20 FT-IR spectrometer
Mid-infrared FT-IR spectrometer designed for OEM incorporation into industrial analyzers
For: Process applications
New this year: Brand-new product. Ultrastable monolithic-interferometer spectrometer
Measurement mode: Versatile 1-in. collimated output for ease in mating to user-supplied sampling systems
Special features: Pre-aligned, sealed and desiccated monolithic, modular, intrinsically stable (against temperature, vibration, orientation changes) interferometer, for stable chemometric results, optimized for quantitative applications, instrument-to-instrument reproducibility for ease of calibration transfer, suitable for use in harsh industrial environments and mobile platforms.
Software: EFTIR for data collection and spectral manipulation. Is available as separate product, may be used in other equipment, compatible with other manufacturers' equipment.
Suggested applications: Gas, liquid, and solid analysis for incorporation into application-specific analyzers by manufacturers and system integrators.
Manufacturer: Wilks Enterprise, Inc.
Product name: InfraCal 2 Analyzer
Fixed filter mid infrared analyzer
For: Lab, process, and handheld applications
New this year: Touch-screen display, internal data storage for up to 6000 analyses and 2000 calibration, three user security levels to avoid tampering, two settings each for HI/LO alarms, multilingual display option, multiple analytical wavelengths
Portable: 7.86 in. L x 6.7 in. W x 5.85 in. H
Measurement mode: ATR or transmission
Accessory: Transmission sample stage will accept cards or different path-length cells.
Special features: Battery powered for on-site field measurements, multiple wavelengths for up to three specific analyses, dedicated analyzer for specific applications, designed for operation by non-technical personnel, rugged no moving parts.
Software: Embedded, and is available as separate product,
Suggested applications: Sub-ppm oil in solvent or water, multilayer polymer film, any dedicated production, QC, environmental or regulatory quantitative measurement
Primary benefits: Allows more expensive spectroscopic equipment to be freed up from routine analyses. Can be used on-site in rugged environments for quick results.
How Satellite-Based Spectroscopy is Transforming Inland Water Quality Monitoring
Published: April 29th 2025 | Updated: April 29th 2025New research highlights how remote satellite sensing technologies are changing the way scientists monitor inland water quality, offering powerful tools for tracking pollutants, analyzing ecological health, and supporting environmental policies across the globe.
Chinese Researchers Develop Dual-Channel Probe for Biothiol Detection
April 28th 2025Researchers at Qiqihar Medical University have developed a dual-channel fluorescent probe, PYL-NBD, that enables highly sensitive, rapid, and selective detection of biothiols in food, pharmaceuticals, and living organisms.
The fNIRS Glossary Project: A Community-Sourced Glossary of Key Terms
April 28th 2025Established to develop a community-sourced glossary covering key functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) terms, including those related to the continuous-wave (CW), frequency-domain (FD), and time-domain (TD) NIRS techniques, the fNIRS Glossary Project features over 300 terms categorized into six key domains: analysis, experimental design, hardware, neuroscience, mathematics, and physics. It also includes abbreviations, symbols, synonyms, references, alternative definitions, and figures where relevant.
