What absorbs at 792 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?
A band near 792 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 792 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon-oxygen (Si-O) | 5 | 4 | 1.0 |
| Alkyl C-H | 3 | 3 | 1.0 |
| Phosphate (PO4) | 3 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Silicon (Si) | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Siloxane (Si-O-Si) | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Silicon hydride | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Carboxyl (COOH) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Carbonate | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Methoxy (OCH3) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Methacrylate | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| C-O single bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Acetate | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Hydroxyl (O-H) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Silicon carbon | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Metal hydroxyl | 1 | 1 | 0.9 |
| C=n | 1 | 0 | 1.0 |
| Alkene (C=C) | 1 | 0 | 1.0 |
| Metal oxygen | 1 | 0 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SiC | 792, 791, 805 | Silicon-oxygen (Si-O), Silicon (Si), Alkyl C-H | 1 |
| calcite | 792, 2850, 2864 | Alkyl C-H | 1 |
| apatite | 792, 3053, 1640 | Phosphate (PO4), Alkyl C-H | 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 792 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
-
Silicon carbon confidence 1.0
“An and 968 which are cm(cid:2)1 absorption peak at 792 corresponding to transversal optic mode (TO) and longitudinal indicates the transversal optic h-SiC, optic mode (LO) of respectively.”
Baek 等 - 2006 - Structural characterization of beta-SiC nanowires DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2005.09.083 -
confidence 1.0
“In the spectrum peaks are observed cm-1 cm-1 in the region of 1258.88 corresponding to methyl, between 1000 - 1100 a peak cm-1 corresponding to the Si-O-Si bond and a band at 792.10 characteristic of the siloxanes, confirming the presence o”
Balvín Beltrán 等 - 2020 - Funcionalización del gel de polisiloxano con nanop DOI: 10.1038/srep35446 -
Phosphate (PO4) confidence 1.0
“1214.2 PO4 P=O associated stretching vibrations bond, P=O stretching vibrations 1136.7 PO4 1062.3 PO4 bond, P=O stretching vibrations 987.2 P-O-P asymmetric stretching bond 874.1 P-O-P asymmetric stretching bond 792.0 P-O-P asymmetric stret”
Growth and characterization of calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate crystals from single diffusion gel technique DOI: 10.1002/crat.200900700 -
Phosphate (PO4) confidence 1.0
“The P-O mode is assigned to the peaks at 792 and 606 and the cm-1”
Abdel-Halim 等 - 2023 - Apatite-Calcite Flotation Separation Using Sodium DOI: 10.3390/min13070970 -
Silicon (Si) confidence 1.0
“cm-1 Moreover, the absorption band at 694 is corresponding to symmetrical bending vibrations of Si-O whereas cm-1 vibration band at 792 can be attributed to symmetrical stretching vibrations of Si-O [37].”
Magnetron sputtering technique for analyzing the influence of RF sputtering power on microstructural surface morphology of aluminum thin films deposited on SiO2/Si substrates DOI: 10.1007/s00339-021-04892-0 -
Alkyl C-H confidence 1.0
“1651cm-1 792cm-1 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 4000 H bond in methylene), , and (bending (cm-1) Wavenumbers”
Duan 等 - 2015 - The Preparation of a Highly Stretchable Cellulose DOI: 10.1155/2015/963436 -
Silicon hydride confidence 1.0
“s bc s bc ab ab s bc - 1921.8 (Si -H stretch), 792 (Si -H wag), and 2210.4 These two defects are the reservoir from which H is reab ab (H Si stretch).”
Gibbons 等 - 2013 - Huge isotope effect on the vibrational lifetimes o DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.87.115207 -
Hydroxyl (O-H) confidence 1.0
“of PI-2 at 213 and 494 °C are at 1738 cm-1 (C=O stretching vibrations), 3444 cm-1 (-OH stretching vibrations), 2970, 2924 and 2853 cm-1 (C-H stretching vibrations), 1264 and 1063 cm-1 (C-O-C), and 1463, 1117 and 792 cm-1 (P-Ar, P=O and P-O-”
Optical and Flame-Retardant Properties of a Series of Polyimides Containing Side Chained Bulky Phosphaphenanthrene Units DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113174
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