3D Chemical Images: From Hair to Nanocellulose Composites

The instrument IRENI, an acronym for Infra-Red Environment Imaging, has been introduced at the AAAS meeting in 2012, but since then it has done a giant step forward [1,2].

Being the only long-time working SR-FTIR instrument with truly diffraction limited resolution at all wavenumbers, it was also possible to realize IR-tomography. This was made possible because of the unique setup of IRENI. The SR-source is bright enough to allow for images taken in less than 1 minute, so real tomography within a few hours or less can be realized, just like for X-Ray tomography. While the principle is the same, the resolution of course is subject to diffraction.

In this talk the authors will present the outcome of the first 3d measurements with FTIR microscopy. Being one of a kind the analysis is not finished yet and the audience is welcome to discuss. The specimens that are shown span a broad range, including wood [3], but also including polymers [4,5], hair and single cells.

[1]  M. Nasse et al., Nature Meth. 8, 2011

[2]  M. Martin, et al; Nature Meth 10, 861–864, 2013

[3]  B. Illman, et al.; Proceedings of the 18th International Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation of Wood Symposium Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 2013

[4]  C. Clemons et al.; Polymer 54 (8), 2058–2061, 2013

[5]  M. Unger et al.; Vibrational Spectroscopy, In Press, 2014.