Determining The Degradation Along the Length of Quarter Inch Polyester Urethane Magnetic Tapes Using ATR FT-IR Spectroscopy

School Name

Governor's School for Science & Mathematics

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Chemistry

Presentation Type

Mentored

Mentor

Mentor: Stephen Morgan, University of South Carolina

Abstract

Throughout the country, libraries and museums have audio recordings. These recordings are stored on magnetic tape, which are made of polyester urethane. The polyester urethane serves as the magnetic particle binder for the tape. Still, the tapes are degrading. These tapes hold important cultural and historical information that will be lost if they are not digitized. A research team at the University of South Carolina, led by Dr. Stephen Morgan, is working on coming up with a quick process to determine the playability or nonplayability of each tape. The audio tapes donated from the Library of Congress are quarter inch tapes. The importance of finding a quick and reliable process is to be able to help stop the destruction of the tapes during playback. Playback is the current method of determining whether the tape is playable or not. Tapes acquired from the Library of Congress were analyzed using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR). ATR FT-IR provides, using algorithms, the functional groups of the tape on a spectrum. Also provided is their location on the spectrum using wavenumbers which are measured in cm-1. After this, testing was done on a vintage tape player. These two tests returned results saying the tapes were playable. Finally, the tapes were put into the MATSA program. This compared similarities and difference of the tested tapes to a reference set. This told us the tapes were nonplayable. This meant the tests needed to be repeated to ensure maximum accuracy was obtained.

Location

Wall 226

Start Date

3-25-2017 11:15 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 25th, 11:15 AM

Determining The Degradation Along the Length of Quarter Inch Polyester Urethane Magnetic Tapes Using ATR FT-IR Spectroscopy

Wall 226

Throughout the country, libraries and museums have audio recordings. These recordings are stored on magnetic tape, which are made of polyester urethane. The polyester urethane serves as the magnetic particle binder for the tape. Still, the tapes are degrading. These tapes hold important cultural and historical information that will be lost if they are not digitized. A research team at the University of South Carolina, led by Dr. Stephen Morgan, is working on coming up with a quick process to determine the playability or nonplayability of each tape. The audio tapes donated from the Library of Congress are quarter inch tapes. The importance of finding a quick and reliable process is to be able to help stop the destruction of the tapes during playback. Playback is the current method of determining whether the tape is playable or not. Tapes acquired from the Library of Congress were analyzed using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR). ATR FT-IR provides, using algorithms, the functional groups of the tape on a spectrum. Also provided is their location on the spectrum using wavenumbers which are measured in cm-1. After this, testing was done on a vintage tape player. These two tests returned results saying the tapes were playable. Finally, the tapes were put into the MATSA program. This compared similarities and difference of the tested tapes to a reference set. This told us the tapes were nonplayable. This meant the tests needed to be repeated to ensure maximum accuracy was obtained.