Anasys Instruments, the company that pioneered nanoscale thermal analysis and nanoscale IR spectroscopy using an AFM, is pleased to announce further capabilities for their nanoIR nanoscale infrared spectroscopy system.

The availability of arbitrary polarization control enables the user to measure and visualize molecular orientation with nanoscale spatial resolution. This is useful in a variety of applications where the understanding molecular orientation is important. One of the most exciting applications is the study of polymeric fibers where molecular orientation is vital to controlling their properties. 

This work is underscored during this year's Pittsburgh Conference being held in Orlando. Professor Bruce Chase from the University of Delaware is to deliver an invited talk on the structure and orientation in electrospun nanofibers. His keynote presentation will include spatially resolved measurements of molecular orientation obtained by a technique combining atomic force microscopy and infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR). The measurements were performed in collaboration with Anasys Instruments using an AFM-IR instrument incorporating the new arbitrary polarization angle control capability. By measuring the infrared absorption of a sample locally as a function of polarization angle, it is possible to identify regions that have a high degree of molecular orientation. Being able to control molecular orientation is a critically important technology for improving the performance of polymers. The new polarization control capability provides this ability to observe molecular orientation with high spatial resolution at the nanoscale.

For further details come to the Anasys Instruments booth at Pittcon, #823, or visit www.anasysinstruments.com