What is Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)?

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is an analytical technique used to obtain an infrared spectrum of absorption or emission of a solid, liquid or gas. An FTIR spectrometer simultaneously collects high-spectral-resolution data over a wide spectral range. This confers a significant advantage over a dispersive spectrometer which measures intensity over a narrow range of wavelengths at a time. FTIR is commonly used for identifying materials (qualitative analysis) and quantifying their amounts (quantitative analysis), in various fields such as polymer science, chemistry, materials science, and food science.