What absorbs at 461 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?

Quick answer

A band near 461 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 461 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

• confidence 1.0

  “871cm-1 have been obtained at 461 and The IR bands for SrGdAlO material were observed at 468, 760 and indicating 4 gadolinium-oxygen bending and aluminium-oxygen bending and stretching vibrational modes.”

  Rapid-gel combustion synthesis, structure and luminescence investigations of trivalent europium doped MGdAlO4 (M = Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2+) nanophosphors DOI: 10.1016/j.ijleo.2019.163450
• Metal oxygen confidence 1.0

  “At low wavenumbers two peaks at cm-1 Zn-O 461 and 496 are characteristic of stretching 3.4 Optical analysis vibration corresponding to the well-crystallized ZnO nanorods [25].”

  Muzaffar 等 - 2020 - Microwave assisted tuning of optical and magnetic DOI: 10.1007/s10971-020-05290-3
• confidence 1.0

  “The FTIR spectra for cm-1 Mg 1-xCu xFOH samples after drying show vibrations at 461 and 550 which can be assigned for Mg-F and Mg-O respectively [8].”

  Rosyadi 和 Murwani - 2017 - Synthesis and Characterization of Cu Doped Magnesi DOI: 10.1063/1.4978097
• Silicon silicon confidence 1.0

  “The Infrared (IR) spectra showed peaks at 461.231 787.381 cm-1, Si∼O∼Si Si∼O∼Si and 1045.99 which corresponds to the bending vibration, the Si∼O∼Si stretch vibration, and the stretching vibration, respectively.”

  Green Synthesis of Crystalline Silica from Sugarcane Bagasse Ash: Physico-Chemical Properties DOI: 10.3390/nano12132184
• Silicon (Si) confidence 1.0

  “The cm-1 cm-1 absorption peak at 461 is due to Si-O-Si rocking vibrations [28].”

  Kayed 和 Kurd - 2022 - The Effect of Annealing Temperature on the Structu DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-246154/v1
• Sulfate (SO4) confidence 1.0

  “Compared with MMT the characteristic bands at ~3630, 1104, 909, 835, 619, 519, 461 cm-1 in the FTIR spectrum of SO42-/Sncm-1 and Sn-MMT, the characteristic bands at ~3630, 1104, 909, 835, 619, 519, 461 in the FTIR spectrum MMT were distinct”

  SO42-/Sn-MMT Solid Acid Catalyst for Xylose and Xylan Conversion into Furfural in the Biphasic System DOI: 10.3390/catal7040118
• Silicon (Si) confidence 1.0

  “cm-1 The peak at 464 (spectrum 1) is assigned to was calculated as a function of p/p with the equation 0 bending mode vibrations of Si - O - Si bonds, while the proposed by de Boer [27]: cm-1 peak at 461 (spetrum 2) is assigned to overlappi”

  Muresan 等 - 2014 - Hard porous chromium containing macrospheres as ne DOI: 10.2478/s11532-013-0403-4
• Hydroxyl (O-H) confidence 1.0

  “cm-1 For Talc, the characteristic peaks at 3674, 1011, 667, 523, and 461 are due to For Talc, the characteristic peaks at 3674, 1011, 667, 523, and 461 cm-1 are due to stretchstretching vibrations of the structural hydroxyl moiety Mg-OH, Si”

  Preparation and Characterization of Magnetite Talc (Fe3O4@Talc) Nanocomposite as an Effective Adsorbent for Cr(VI) and Alizarin Red S Dye DOI: 10.3390/ma15093401