How can you identify diamond from FTIR?

Quick answer

diamond is usually reported with a recurring pattern of peaks and functional-group evidence. The most useful approach is to cross-check at least two characteristic peaks before treating it as a match, then verify whether the full spectrum still fits the same material family.

Peak interpretation

Possible materials / groups

Spectrum logic

The logic here is evidence aggregation: repeated literature mentions of diamond, repeated peak positions, and repeated functional-group associations. A strong material hypothesis should still be supported by multiple peaks that agree with each other, not by one headline band alone.

Real-world usage

This page is designed for polymer identification, incoming-material QC, unknown plastic analysis, recycled-content review, and literature-backed interpretation of reference spectra.

Common mistakes

• Calling a material match too early because one famous peak is present.
• Ignoring sample prep, fillers, oxidation, water, or additives that can change the apparent pattern.
• Using literature evidence without checking whether your own sampling mode and spectrum quality are comparable.

Verification advice

Use DSC, GC-MS, or TGA to validate the material hypothesis when the peak pattern is ambiguous or mixed.

Literature behind this page

• confidence 0.9

  diamond

  Quantitative analysis of electronic absorption of phosphorus donors in diamond DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2017.01.012
• confidence 0.9

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  The story of one diamond: the heterogeneous distribution of the optical centres within a diamond crystal from the Ichetju placer, northern Urals DOI: 10.1180/mgm.2019.32
• confidence 0.9

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  Wang 和 Takahashi - 2023 - Development of Mid-Infrared Absorption Spectroscop DOI: 10.3390/min13050625
• confidence 0.8

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  Microdiamonds in Alkalic Dolerites from the North China Craton: FTIR and C Isotopic Characteristics DOI: 10.3390/cryst11111325
• confidence 0.8

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  Morphological Features and Spectral Comparisons of Diamonds from Three Kimberlite Belts in Mengyin, China DOI: 10.3390/min12101185
• confidence 0.7

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  H2O and CO2 in kimberlitic fluid as recorded by diamonds and olivines in several Ekati Diamond Mine kimberlites, Northwest Territories, Canada DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2009.11.049
• confidence 0.6

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  QUIDDIT - QUantification of infrared active Defects in Diamond and Inferred Temperatures DOI: 10.1016/j.cageo.2020.104558
• confidence 0.5

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  Jagannadham 等 - 2007 - Neutron transmutation of B-10 doped diamond DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2006.03.019
• confidence 0.5

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  The micro-/macro-diamond relationship: A case study from the Artemisia kimberlite (Northern Slave Craton, Canada) DOI: 10.1016/j.lithos.2012.05.031
• confidence 0.2

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  Titus 等 - 2006 - Nitrogen and hydrogen related infrared absorption DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.12.062