ADVANCED IN-SITU SAPPHIRE TEST CELL FOR RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY WITHIN AQUEOUS ENVIRONMENTS

A simple and inexpensive sapphire test cell has been developed for the performance of in situ Raman spectroscopy within aqueous environments up to the conditions of 400 degrees C and 345 bar pressure. The cell volume is approximately 11 cm(3) and is held by a heating enclosure wi thin the optical path of a Raman spectrometer. With this cell, Raman v ibrational measurements have been satisfactorily performed on aqueous samples and on solid substrates within aqueous environments. The test cell and its supporting equipment are fully described, as web as the R aman data manipulation method used for the processing of high-temperat ure aqueous Raman measurements.