FTIR Spectrometer comparison showing differences in PVC additives

FTIR Analysis has been used for decades to identify the composition of materials and to expose inferior or counterfeit materials alike.  Also known as Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectroscopy, there is growing use of this technology in the ID1 (Financial and Drivers License) and ID3 (Passport) form factors. This is due to increased risk of raw materials being substituted for cheaper versions or counterfeit versions masquerading as the 'genuine article'. This occurred recently when when one of Australasia's Steel Importers had to rethink their bridge design due to a batch of steel that was sub par quality as reported by stuff.co.nz.

CTI can compare your incumbent sample with your new sample to determine if the plastic is the same. Or if you are more interested in knowing the cause of premature cracking or layer bonding, CTI also has a library of FTIR ‘fingerprints’ to compare your plastic to determine its composition and contaminants so that you know quite literally, what is inside your card!

 The image to the left is an example of an actual FTIR Analysis showing the kind of comparisons that can be made. When a different additive is present in the plastic, a change to the amount of InfraRed transmission occurs at different wavelengths (cm-1) and Transmission levels (%T).


Contact CTI today for a quotation on FTIR Analysis