Books by Brian C. Smith

Introduces basic principles of interpreting infrared spectral data, teaching its readers to make sense of the data coming from an infrared spectrometer. This work discusses: science of infrared interpretation; light and molecular vibrations; how and why molecules absorb infrared radiation; and, peak heights, intensities, and widths.

Reflecting the myriad changes and advancements in the technologies involved in FTIR, particularly the development of diamond ATRs, this second edition is designed for those new to FTIR, but with enough reference material to appeal to journeymen and expert spectroscopists. It reviews the history, strengths, and weaknesses of FTIR as a chemical analysis technique, describes how an FTIR works, and shows how to maximize spectral quality while maintaining analysis time. The book examines single analyte quantitative analysis and instructs on the importance of proper sample preparation for good data extraction.