UV or IR transparent polymer 1

[nilseng]

I am looking for any polymers that are transparent to UV and/or IR light wavelengths. Ideally the polymer would be extrudable, but it is not required. ANY information on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[patprimmer]

PMMA or Acrylic is transparent to UV light.I don't have data on IR, but PMMA is used as number (licence) plate covers and IR speed cameras still work on them. That does not mean PMMA is transparent to the full IR spectrum.

Regards

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[Demon3]

Why do you want the IR/UV transparency?

There are no polymers that are 100% IR transparent because that is impossible. The chemical bonds in all plastics adsorb IR light at characteristic frequencies. The polymers that adsorb least are the ones with least different types of chemical bonds. Therefore polyethylene and polypropylene are good choices for IR transparency.

For UV transparency you need to avoid any polymer with benzene rings in it, for example polystyrene. I suggest PMMA because I know that is used for cuvettes for UV/VIS spectroscopy and therefore must have some UV transparency.

 

[patprimmer]

The reason PMMA is so resistent to attack from UV light is because it transmits the energy rather than absorbing it.

You are of course absolutely correct re IR light, as that is the principal on which IR spectropotometry is based.

As far as I know, IR spectropotometry can be used to identify any polymer type by the characteristic peaks in absorption of particular wavelengths of IR light.

Regards

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[Pud]

Hi,

Surely the little window on the front of televisions must be transparent to (long?) IR. Also must contain an IR transparent black/grey dye pigmentation. Have not been allowed to burn the one on our tv to check what it is made from, but I guess it's PMMA.........?

Rgds


Harry

 

[ZiggyK]

Please describe "transparent" to UV and IR wavelengths.
As many have stated all polymers have an infrared spectra. Most also have an ultraviolet spectra. The IR spectra covers the range of 4800 cm-1 to 375 cm-1, and UV light covers 370 nm to 900 nm.

So, do you want low absorbance of these light sources or non abosorbance?

 

[nilseng]

We are looking for materials that will transmit IR and or UV through them to a surface beneath. For the UV we want the material to transmit around 365 or 257 nm. As for the IR we want transmission in the ranges 850-1100nm, 3-5 microns and 8-12 microns. Thanks for all the responses thus far, I hope this help clarify some.