This study evaluates the effects of the concentration and particle size of wood powders in KBr on the diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy of China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata var. lanceolata). The DRIFT spectra of wood powder in KBr were measured over a concentration range of 1 to 100 wt percent with particle size over a diameter range of 61μn to 3mm. It was demonstrated that the characteristics of the DRIFT spectra of China fir were very much influenced by the concentration of wood powder in KBr. By comparing with the absorbance spectrum obtained using the traditional transmission technique in KBr pellets, spectral distortions occurred as a function of the concentration and particle size of wood powders in KBr. Results clearly reveal that an anomalous effect caused by the specular reflection was observed mainly between the 950cm^(-1) and 1200cm^(-1) regions with a shift to higher wavenumber and a significant variation in the relative intensities at 1735cm^(-1), 1645cm^(-1), 1158cm^(-1), 1106cm^(-1), 898cm^(-1), and 810cm^(-1) The spectral distortions can be suppressed by decreasing the concentration and particle size of wood powders in KBr. It was possible to obtain a high quality DRIFT spectrum, similar to the absorbance spectrum obtained using KBr pellets, from diluting wood powders, with diameters smaller than 200μm, in KBr at concentrations not exceeding 10%.
This study evaluates the effects of the concentration and particle size of wood powders in KBr on the diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy of China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata var. lanceolata). The DRIFT spectra of wood powder in KBr were measured over a concentration range of 1 to 100 wt percent with particle size over a diameter range of 61μn to 3mm. It was demonstrated that the characteristics of the DRIFT spectra of China fir were very much influenced by the concentration of wood powder in KBr. By comparing with the absorbance spectrum obtained using the traditional transmission technique in KBr pellets, spectral distortions occurred as a function of the concentration and particle size of wood powders in KBr. Results clearly reveal that an anomalous effect caused by the specular reflection was observed mainly between the 950cm^(-1) and 1200cm^(-1) regions with a shift to higher wavenumber and a significant variation in the relative intensities at 1735cm^(-1), 1645cm^(-1), 1158cm^(-1), 1106cm^(-1), 898cm^(-1), and 810cm^(-1) The spectral distortions can be suppressed by decreasing the concentration and particle size of wood powders in KBr. It was possible to obtain a high quality DRIFT spectrum, similar to the absorbance spectrum obtained using KBr pellets, from diluting wood powders, with diameters smaller than 200μm, in KBr at concentrations not exceeding 10%.