What absorbs at 1534 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?

Quick answer

A band near 1534 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

Ranking reflects accumulated literature evidence, not a single fixed rule. Always confirm against your sample context.

Possible materials

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 1534 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

• Amide confidence 1.0

  “The peak at 1534 is ascribed as a combination of C-N stretching and N-H out of plane”

  Preparation of one-shot and two-shot method of semi-rigid polyurethane film based on functionalized liquid natural rubber DOI: 10.1063/1.5047200
• Acetate confidence 1.0

  “stretching (1534 and 1381 C-O and C-N stretching (1145 and 1013 The RA-CPTMS/TiO composite 2 materials showed both characteristic peaks of TiO and the red amaranth extract, indicating the successful 2”

  Kurniawan 等 - 2019 - Selective Betalain Impregnation from Red Amaranth DOI: 10.1063/1.5134613
• Amide confidence 1.0

  “Explicit assignment in text: 'Amides ... II are at ... 1534'”

  Silkinspired polyurethane containing GlyAlaGlyAla tetrapeptide. II. physical properties and structure DOI: 10.1002/app.39185
• Amide confidence 1.0

  “the band at 1534 (amide II) is the position of the amide I band.”

  Rozenberg 和 Shoham - 2007 - FTIR spectra of solid poly-L-lysine in the stretch DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2006.07.008
• Ammonium confidence 1.0

  “NH3 deformation in amino acids appeared at 1534 cm-1 and the band in 1445 cm-1 cm´1, can be associated with the in-plane -OH bending vibration in carboxylic acids.”

  Biosorption of B-aflatoxins Using Biomasses Obtained from Formosa Firethorn [Pyracantha koidzumii (Hayata) Rehder] DOI: 10.3390/toxins8070218
• confidence 1.0

  “cm-1 Furthermore, a small peak was observed around 1534 in the CL-R biomass, corresponding to a N-H curvature in the proteins.”

  Part A: Biodegradable Bio-Composite Film Reinforced with Cellulose Nanocrystals from Chaetomorpha linum into Thermoplastic Starch Matrices DOI: 10.3390/polym15061542
• Amide confidence 1.0

  “A peak at 1534 that (c) attributed to amide II (Feliatra et al.”

  Optimization of food-grade medium for co-production of bioactive substances by Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 for explaining pharmabiotic mechanisms of probiotic DOI: 10.1007/s13197-020-04894-5
• Carbonyl (C=O) confidence 1.0

  “The absorption peak at 1710-1730 cm-1 cm-1 1710-1730 corresponds to the stretching vibrations of carbonyl groups (C=O), while the peaks corresponds to the stretching vibrations of carbonyl groups (C=O), while the peaks at 1534 and 774”

  Synthesis of Linseed Oil-Based Waterborne Urethane Oil Wood Coatings DOI: 10.3390/polym10111235