Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy for Monitoring of Anaerobic Digestion Processes - Prospects and Challenges

Sensing and structure analysis byin situIR spectroscopy: from mL flow cells to microfluidic applications

In situmid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy in liquids is an emerging field for the analysis of functional surfaces and chemical reactions. Different basic geometries exist forin situMIR spectroscopy in milliliter (mL) and microfluidic flow cells, such as attenuated total reflection (ATR), simple reflection, transmission and fiber waveguides. After a general introduction of linear opticalin situMIR techniques, the methodology of ATR, ellipsometric and microfluidic applications in single-reflection geometries is presented. Selected examples focusing on thin layers relevant to optical, electronical, polymer, biomedical, sensing and silicon technology are discussed. The development of an optofluidic platform translates IR spectroscopy to the world of micro- and nanofluidics. With the implementation of SEIRA (surface enhanced infrared absorption) interfaces, the sensitivity of optofluidic analyses of biomolecules can be improved significantly. A large variety of enhancement surfaces ranging from tailored nanostructures to metal-island film substrates are promising for this purpose. Meanwhile, time-resolved studies, such as sub-monolayer formation of organic molecules in nL volumes, become available in microscopic or laser-based set-ups. With the adaption of modern brilliant IR sources, such as tunable and broadband IR lasers as well as frequency comb sources, possible applications of far-field IR spectroscopy inin situsensing with high lateral (sub-mm) and time (sub-s) resolution are considerably extended.

Cylindrical IR-ATR Sensors for Process Analytics

Infrared attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy is a common laboratory technique for the analysis of highly absorbing liquids and solids. However, in a process environment, maintaining a sufficient sample exchange and cleaning of the sensitive surface of the element is a crucial issue. An important industrial application is the measurement of isocyanate concentrations. Isocyanates are necessary for the fabrication of polyurethane materials and are among the chemicals with the highest production volume worldwide. For process applications, narrowband photometers or MEMS spectrometers are more appropriate than the use of bulky FTIR instruments frequently encountered in a laboratory environment. Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) concentrations are measured with a planar ATR photometer setup. Using a miniature Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI), trace concentrations below 100 ppm (m/m) are detected. By employing an ATR element of the cylindrical shape, sensors can be realized with a smooth surface ideally suited for an automatic cleaning system in a process environment. A laboratory setup with sapphire tubes as ATR elements for incorporation in a liquid flow system is described. Reflection and transmission configurations were investigated. Measurements with acetonitrile as a less toxic substitute showed that with cylindrical ATR sensors’ detection limits for isocyanate concentrations below 100 ppm (m/m) are feasible.

The Future Agricultural Biogas Plant in Germany: A Vision

After nearly two decades of subsidized and energy crop-oriented development, agricultural biogas production in Germany is standing at a crossroads. Fundamental challenges need to be met. In this article we sketch a vision of a future agricultural biogas plant that is an integral part of the circular bioeconomy and works mainly on the base of residues. It is flexible with regard to feedstocks, digester operation, microbial communities and biogas output. It is modular in design and its operation is knowledge-based, information-driven and largely automated. It will be competitive with fossil energies and other renewable energies, profitable for farmers and plant operators and favorable for the national economy. In this paper we discuss the required contribution of research to achieve these aims.