Laboratory Capabilities
The Infrared Spectroscopy Laboratory (ISL) includes advanced analytical capabilities for detailed analyses of inorganic and organic materials. Solid, liquid, and gaseous products can be analyzed by a variety of techniques.

Laboratory Facilities
FT-IR System
A Nicolet Magna 550 Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry system is operated with a photoacoustic accessory and a diffuse reflectance accessory in addition to the transmission mode. These cells are required for the analysis of coals, chars, activated carbons, minerals, and coal-derived solid materials.

Molecular Weight Determination
An LDC-Milton Roy KMX-6 low-angle laser light-scattering (LALLS) photometer and a KMX-16 differential refractometer are used for the accurate measurement of weight-average molecular weights of coal macromolecules and synthetic polymers used in modeling coal structures. Combined with gel permeation chromatography, the LALLS gives an accurate measurement of the molecular weight distribution of the samples. The optical anisotropy of the macromolecules can also be obtained with the LALLS by using polarizing filters. These data give information on the shape or form of the molecules.