Upgrading a rapid-scanning spectrometer with microcomputerized data acquisition and treatment to measure spectrokinetic parameters of photochromic compounds

Abstract

An interface circuit between a rapid scanning spectrometer and a 486 compatible personal computer is described. A specific unit was also designed in order to study multi-phase kinetic processes with high accuracy. Major spectrokinetic parameters, specifying the properties of photochromic compounds, can thus be readily obtained. The improvement of the apparatus highlighted that up to four different kinetic constants are involved in the thermal bleaching process of a new series of compounds. Owing to the modular design of the menu-driven software, written in C language, the system is very flexible and easy to use.