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Photo for visual interest. State-of-the-art materials testing equipment that is part of the Texas Transportation Institute's Spectrum Analyis Laboratory.

Spectrum Analysis Laboratory

The Spectrum Analysis Laboratory uses state-of-the-art materials testing technology, including liquid/gel permeation chromatography and Fourier transform infrared analysis (FT-IR). The liquid/gel permeation chromatograph determines molecular size distributions of complex materials such as asphalt cement. The analysis gives a composition profile of an asphalt sample, which is indicative primarily of the molecular weights of the asphalt components. Using this information, it is possible to identify the atomic structure of molecules. This has proven to be a rapid and discriminating technique for observing critical structural differences between various asphalts and for measuring changes that occur due to aging.

For FT-IR, the Nicolet 60 SXB FT-IR System uses a laser to assess infrared absorption. This system measures the infrared spectrum of materials, whether solid, liquid, or gas, and ascertains composition, especially of certain specific chemical groups. Significant among these are the oxygen and sulfur groups commonly found in asphalts and often resulting from oxidation and aging. This unit also has a wide range of experimentation modules and detector units.

For More Information

Joe Button
Materials and Pavements Division
Texas Transportation Institute
Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX  77843-3135
ph. (979) 845-9965 · fax (979) 845-0278
j-button@tamu.edu

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