What absorbs at 475 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?
A band near 475 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 475 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal oxygen | 7 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Silicon-oxygen (Si-O) | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Siloxane (Si-O-Si) | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Silicon (Si) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Borate | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Phosphate (PO4) | 1 | 1 | 0.9 |
| Metalloid oxygen | 1 | 1 | 0.9 |
| S s | 1 | 1 | 0.7 |
| C-O single bond | 1 | 1 | 0.7 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZnO | 475, 1400, 3430 | Metal oxygen | 1 |
| SnO2 | 475, 2800, 1547 | Metal oxygen | 1 |
| Titanium Dioxide | 475, 1716, 1724 | Metal oxygen | 1 |
| Nanoparticles | 475, 1732, 1647 | Metal oxygen | 1 |
| CaO | 475, 2909, 1839 | Silicon-oxygen (Si-O) | 1 |
| glass | 475, 1100, 1075 | Silicon-oxygen (Si-O), Metal oxygen, Siloxane (Si-O-Si) | 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 475 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
“cm-1 The FTIR spectrum of TiO nanoparticles is shown in Figure 2.The peak observed at 474.75 2 29 is corresponding to bending vibration (Ti-O-Ti) bonds in the TiO lattice.”
Latha 和 Lalithamba - 2018 - Synthesis and Characterization of Titanium Dioxide DOI: 10.1088/2053-1591/aab695 -
confidence 1.0
“The other two peaks located at 475 and cm-1 772 are assigned to the Eg translational mode originated from the vibration of oxygen in the oxygen plane [35] and B mode which could be attributed to the expansion and 2g”
High Efficient and Cost Effective Titanium Doped Tin Dioxide Based Photocatalysts Synthesized via Co-precipitation Approach DOI: 10.3390/catal11070803 -
confidence 1.0
“The Absorption results of the samples of Ca/P ration 1.0, 1.67 e 2.0, showed the cm-1 spectrums bands in the region of 475, 580, 1045 e 1100 43corresponding the PO groups vibration of stretching and 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 (c”
Oliveira 等 - 2009 - Comparison of calcium CPP, HAp and TeCP phosphates DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.396-398.557 -
Metal oxygen confidence 1.0
“LLM confirmed rule peak-group candidate”
Photoluminescence and thermoluminescence studies of Tb3+ doped ZnO nanorods DOI: 10.1016/j.mseb.2013.01.006 -
confidence 1.0
“The transmissions at 460 and 475 cm-1 were found to be produced by a symmetric bending vibration of Zn-O in the ZnO-R NPs and ZnO Std NPs, respectively”
Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with Bioflavonoid Rutin: Characterisation, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities and In Vivo Cytotoxic Effects on Artemia Nauplii DOI: 10.3390/antiox11101853 -
confidence 1.0
“other hand is a feldspar whose characteristic peaks can cm-1 be observed between 475 and 515 (Si-O bond vibrations and Si-O-Si or Si-O-Al).”
Delgado Robles 等 - 2015 - Non-destructive in situ spectroscopic analysis of DOI: 10.1186/s40494-015-0048-z -
confidence 1.0
“5, 474 geopolymer samples shown in the main absorbance band is in the region attributed 475 to an asymmetric stretching vibration of the Si-O-T group (T= Si or Al) which is in the”
Istuque 等 - 2019 - Effect of sewage sludge ash on mechanical and micr DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.01.093 -
Borate confidence 1.0
“The two small bands at 475 and 555 higherwavenumbers.Thepresenceofglassnetwork-forming attributed to the vibrations of some type of borate segments cations (P in the present case) in the glass promotes the forand to the bending vibrations o”
Saddeek 等 - 2016 - Fabrication and physical characteristics of new gl DOI: 10.1007/s12034-016-1334-4
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