| Method | Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR) |
| Standards | ASTM E |
What is it used for?
A variety of techniques, including:
• Oxidation
• Oxides of both sulfur and nitrogen
• Can also be used to determine a range of other species, including soot, glycol (from coolants)
• Anti-wear additives such as ZDDP, Phenols
• Fuel content
• Further uses include determination of FAME content (biodiesel) and comparative analysis
How does it work?
The instrument output is based on how covalent bonds move in a given substance when excited by light absorption at a variety of wavelengths. Infrared light is passed through a fine film of oil – by comparing with a base oil.
What do the results tell us?
FTIR can tell us a variety of things, depending on the testing parameters.
These can include quantities of water, oxidation by-products, nitration, sulfonation, glycol, anti-oxidants, anti-wear, petrol, diesel, soot, and many more.
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