Monitoring Chemical Changes by Raman Spectroscopy

By now, it is well known that Raman spectroscopy provides information on the chemical composition of materials, and that said information can be made available in real time–that is, during a reaction. While many types of reactions can be monitored, one of the most important types is polymerization. Polymerization reactions typically involve the loss of a carbon double bond as the chain length is increased, and because the signals from π electrons are strong, the ability to follow this reaction until the end is quite good. However, setting up a polymerization experiment for demonstration purposes can be hazardous. Here, we will show the chemical and spectral changes that occur during the cure of a commercial epoxy.