What absorbs at 1088 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?
A band near 1088 cm⁻¹ can point to several functional groups. Below are the most likely assignments, ranked by how much published evidence supports each — every one traceable to literature (DOI) and cross-validated against our 130,000+ reference spectra and knowledge graph.
Backed by 8 cited sources
Quick answer
A band near 1088 cm⁻¹ is usually interpreted by checking which functional groups repeatedly co-occur there in the literature, then confirming at least one or two additional peaks in the same sample. This page ranks those assignments by accumulated evidence rather than by a single fixed textbook rule.
Possible functional-group assignments
| Functional group | Supporting facts | Cited sources | Top confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methoxy (OCH3) | 9 | 8 | 1.0 |
| C-O single bond | 9 | 8 | 1.0 |
| Silicon-oxygen (Si-O) | 8 | 8 | 1.0 |
| Methacrylate | 8 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Acetate | 8 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Siloxane (Si-O-Si) | 5 | 5 | 1.0 |
| Silicon (Si) | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| Amide | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Nucleic acid | 3 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Alkyl C-H | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Aromatic ring | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Secondary amine | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Phosphate (PO4) | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Carbohydrate | 2 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Hydroxyl (O-H) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Hydrogen bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| C n single bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Chlorine | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Ring structure | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Sulfonyl | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| S eq o | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Silicate | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Ester | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Phosphorus | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| N h | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
Ranking reflects accumulated literature evidence, not a single fixed rule. Always confirm against your sample context.
Possible materials
| Material | Supporting peaks | Overlapping groups | Cited sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA | 1088, 1712, 1660 | Methacrylate, C-O single bond, Methoxy (OCH3) | 2 |
| PET | 1088, 1408, 800 | Methacrylate, Methoxy (OCH3), C-O single bond | 1 |
| lignin | 1088, 1035, 1510 | Methacrylate, C-O single bond, Methoxy (OCH3) | 1 |
| clay | 1088, 1736, 2855 | Silicon-oxygen (Si-O) | 1 |
Materials are shown only when the same literature pool supports this band and at least one additional characteristic peak.
Spectrum logic
This band becomes meaningful only when read with its neighboring peaks. In practice, analysts first look at the assignments above, then check whether the same sample also shows other peaks expected for the same structural motif. A lone band near 1088 cm⁻¹ is usually not enough for material identification by itself.
Real-world usage
This type of query is common in polymer identification, unknown plastic screening, QC troubleshooting, recycled-material verification, and literature-backed peak assignment review.
Common mistakes
- Treating one isolated band as proof of a material without checking at least one or two supporting peaks.
- Ignoring overlap: multiple functional groups can contribute near the same wavenumber.
- Skipping validation when additives, blends, oxidation, or contamination may distort the spectrum.
Verification advice
When ambiguity remains, validate the hypothesis with DSC, GC-MS, or TGA, especially for blends, degraded samples, and filled polymers.
Literature behind these assignments
-
Phosphate (PO4) confidence 1.0
“cm-1, cm-1 the absorption peak of the triazine ring at 813 and the absorption peak of the stretching cm-1 vibration P-O at 1088 [33].”
Liang 等 - 2020 - Thermal Kinetics of a Lignin-Based Flame Retardant DOI: 10.3390/polym12092123 -
N h confidence 1.0
“The peak centered at 1088 2 3? culated for the (101) and (200) planes respectively using attributed to the NH in-plane bending that comes from”
Mageshwari 和 Sathyamoorthy - 2012 - Studies on Photocatalytic Performance of MgO Nanop DOI: 10.1007/s12666-011-0106-5 -
Amide confidence 1.0
“cm-1 cm-1 ((cid:3)asCH (cid:3)CH and 1539 (the amide II) [8], 1451 and cm-1originates 3 2 (4) The band around 1088 from symmetric stretchcm-1”
The study of a single BGC823 cell using Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopic imaging DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2011.05.031 -
Phosphate (PO4) confidence 1.0
“cm-1 An intensity change of the symmetric phosphate stretching at 1088 is also associated with a transformation from B-DNA to A-DNA.”
The Application of ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy and the Reversible DNA Conformation as a Sensor to Test the Effectiveness of Platinum(II) Anticancer Drugs DOI: 10.3390/s18124297 -
Ester confidence 1.0
“the O-C asymmetric mode of the ester groups was observed at appeared at 1383 cm-1, cm-1 1088 and the peaks appeared at 957 and 913 were attributed to the rocking -1, mode of CH 3.”
Boudjema 等 - 2020 - Green composites based on Atriplex halimus fibers DOI: 10.1515/polyeng-2020-0068 -
Silicon (Si) confidence 1.0
“sample displays two discrete sharp bands at 1003 and 1088 (presumably due to in-plane and sample displays two discrete sharp bands at 1003 and 1088 cm-1 (presumably due to in-plane and νSi-O, out-of-plane respectively), suggesting great par”
The Nature of Laponite: Pure Hectorite or a Mixture of Different Trioctahedral Phases? DOI: 10.3390/min8080314 -
Acetate confidence 1.0
“C-O 1712 to the ester carbonyl bond stretching, 1407 for stretching of the cm-1 cm-1 group deformation of the O-H group, 1236 for the terephthalate group, 1088 cm-1 cm-1 C-O to the methylene group, 1015 to the vibrations of the ester bond,”
Use of Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for DNA Identification on Recycled PET Composite Substrate DOI: 10.3390/app12094371 -
confidence 1.0
“Drilling fluid+thiamine cm-1), cm-1 (3443.73 Si-O stretching band (1087.62 and mm cm-1),”
Ghaleh 等 - 2020 - Experimental evaluation of thiamine as a new clay DOI: 10.1007/s12182-020-00466-6
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