Industrial Equipment Failure Analysis Using FT-IR Microscopic Techniques

Introduction

Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy is used routinely in the analysis of both new and in-service lubricants to determine chemical attributes such as oxidation, nitration, sulfation, water and soot. FT-IR microscope is a valuable accessory to FT-IR instruments that can be used for the analysis of micro-environments in lubricants and grease. The main advantage of the FT-IR microscope is the ability to focus the IR energy on sample sizes ranging from 5 to 500 µm in size using optical apertures.

This application note demonstrates how FT-IR microscopy analysis is capable of determining the cause of failures of many different pieces of industrial equipment, allowing the user to take preventative action measures in order to improve the reliability of the system and minimize future failures.