Near-Infrared Imaging of Polymers; from Basic Science to Industrial Applications

This article aims at outlining recent progress in near-infrared (NIR) imaging particularly for polymer science and engineering. NIR imaging is useful in nondestructive and in situ analysis of various kinds of polymers, even thick films and bulk materials. NIR imaging provides novel information about the spatial distribution of sample components, the distribution of different morphologies or physical properties, and dynamic process such as polymer dissolution. In this article, the characteristics and advantages of NIR imaging are described first and then two newly developed NIR imaging instruments are introduced. Finally, several examples of applications of NIR imaging to polymer science and engineering are discussed. Keywords: near-infrared imaging; polymer