Near-infrared Technology: History, Development, And Applications

By Author: George Melcher
Total Articles: 9
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Near-infrared is the spectrum of radiation just beyond visible light. Infrared has longer wavelengths than visible light, making it virtually invisible to the human eye. The near-infrared region has slightly shorter wavelengths because of proximity with visible light.

When infrared was discovered, it was first used in astronomy. Infrared can penetrate space dust, enabling telescopes to detect newly formed stars within the clouds; many images taken by NASA were captured using infrared technology. More recently, it is used with thermography or infrared thermal imaging, capturing images and their textures based on their temperature. This is how modern contractors can detect damage in infrastructures.

In the 1970s, near-infrared was found to be about as useful because the slightly higher frequency allows some objects to be more easily detected with infrared machines. The first near-infrared or NIR instrument was invented in 1974, and further research made has since led to the development of the technology in chemical analysis. Aside from astronomy, infrared technology is prominently applied in pharmaceutical and chemical ...
... processing.

Near-infrared spectroscopy is found to detect grain quality measurement, which is an important factor in the quality of various forms of matter in chemistry. In the same way infrared and near-infrared can thoroughly examine the range of quality in the light of distant stars, thorough analysis is also given on microscopic objects like powders and microorganisms. In pharmaceutical processing, this is applicable in analyzing the quality of various medicines.

In pharmaceutical processing, near infrared technology is also used to analyze various substances' reaction with the body. Near-infrared spectroscopy can detect oxygen content in hemoglobin (a blood protein) and is also used in medical examinations. In effect, near infrared spectroscopy can also detect how biological processes take place with the introduction of pharmaceutics.

In chemical processing, near infrared spectroscopy is mainly used for grain measurements. This can help chemical processors detect chemical composition based on it. Near infrared is also highly useful in petrochemicals or chemical processing involving petroleum. Spectroscopy is used to detect various components and contaminants in the petroleum; this helps determine properties like viscosity and flash point, among others.

Polymer processing holds a special place in chemical processing because it pertains to resins and plastics. As with petrochemical processing, a near infrared spectrophotometer can detect the purity and moisture of a raw material and then the identification of the finished product. This helps in the analysis of the presence of contaminants and additives, and the porosity of the material. For more information, visit CNIRS.org.