Abstract
An overview of the use of Raman spectroscopy for compositional mapping of paper coatings is presented. Raman spectroscopy is able to give the spatial distribution of pigments and binders in coated papers containing kaolin, anatase, and styrene butadiene (SB). Moreover, there are subtle differences in the Raman spectra of two forms of calcite, ground (GCC) and precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), and these differences can be used to monitor the spatial distribution of coatings containing mixtures of PCC and GCC. Surface compositional mapping is relatively straightforward and is demonstrated with measurements of SB/CaCO3 ratios in mottled regions in printed coatings and the measurement of the same pigment/binder ratio in both thin and thick coated regions. For depth profiling, microtome methods are preferred, whereas the data obtained using confocal-based methods do not work.
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