Question: Can a Spectrometer be used to detect material type?

jjoll is asking a question about spectrometry
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by jjoll | June 03, 2017 18:28 | #14499


Hi, I dont know much about science of spectrometry, but I am working on a project where i need to detect and differentiate between different types of material types, and I was just wondering if I can use an Spectrometer such as Desktop Spectrometry Kit v3 to distinguish and detect different material types. For example to distinguish glass object from metal, plastic and paper object.

thanks



3 Comments

You can most definitely use spectrometers to detect different types of materials. All materials are composed differently and thus will absorb and reflect light distinctly. Using the spectral signatures acquired from the spectrometer of each material you can decipher what is what. One important thing to consider though is the range of the spectrum that each instrument measures and the materials you are exploring which can end up limiting your results depending on the task at hand.

hello savargaz, thanks for the answer. what are your thoughts on distinguishing classes as large as all plastics. Will there be a unique spectral signature pattern specific for all plastic objects that will allow me to mass sort all kind of plastics? or do I have to scan and record the spectral signature for each object that I want to sort prior to sorting? also what are your thoughts on shinny objects? like some shiny metal surfaces? will that affect the spectrometer reading (lights reflecting off the surface)? thanks

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