Experiments are being developed to introduce students to surface chemistry and the usefulness of FT-IR as a surface analytical tool. These experiments probe the interaction between thin films and reflective metal substrates using infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy. The thrust of the experimental work focuses on investigating parameters such as film thickness, nature of the substrate material and its relationship to the magnitude of frequency shifts, and the effect of thermal processing of the films on FT-IR spectra. Industry applications, such as thin film coatings on computer hard disks and on food or beverage cans, are also being studied. In addition, introductory experiments focus on the basics of FT-IR, to facilitate its use in analytical, organic, and inorganic laboratories. Experiments published in the Journal of Chemical Education, and elsewhere, are evaluated, developed to fit local needs, and incorporated into labs. These experiments, serve as takeoff points for designing undergraduate research projects dealing with topics such as environmental analysis (automobile exhaust and air pollution studies), IR spectra of solids and nonvolatile liquids, kinetic methods of analysis based on FT-IR spectra, and FT-IR reflectance studies combined with thermogravimetric analysis (a combination useful for studying polymers).
