Measurement of inductively coupled plasma infrared atomic emission of carbon and oxygen from alcohols using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry

Abstract

Atomic carbon and oxygen infrared (IR) emission from a series of alkan-1-ols is presented. The measurements were made over the spectral range 3000–9000 cm–1. Two types of plasmas were employed (pure argon and argon–nitrogen) and atomic carbon and oxygen IR emission lines are tabulated for both plasmas. The measurements were obtained using a Fourier transform interferometer equipped with a deuterium triglycine sulfate (DTGS) and an InSb detector. It was found that the 40.68 MHz inductively coupled plasma used in this study did not generate enough power to sustain a stable plasma on introduction of the higher molecular mass alcohols. However, enhancement of the atomic carbon and oxygen IR emission from methanol, ethanol and propanol was achieved with the argon–4% nitrogen mixed plasma. The background emission from the pure argon plasma was characterized and a table of relative intensities and wavelengths of the argon atomic IR emission is presented.