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.