A vibrational spectroscopic study of the silicate mineral pectolite - NaCa₂Si₃O₈(OH)

Ray L Frost; Andrés López; Frederick L Theiss; Antônio Wilson Romano; Ricardo Scholz

doi:10.1016/j.saa.2014.06.097

A vibrational spectroscopic study of the silicate mineral pectolite - NaCa₂Si₃O₈(OH)

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2015 Jan 5:134:58-62. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2014.06.097. Epub 2014 Jun 24.

Authors

Ray L Frost¹, Andrés López², Frederick L Theiss², Antônio Wilson Romano³, Ricardo Scholz⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia. Electronic address: r.frost@qut.edu.au.
² School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia.
³ Geology Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31,270-901, Brazil.
⁴ Geology Department, School of Mines, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, MG 35,400-00, Brazil.

PMID: 25004896
DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2014.06.097

Abstract

The mineral pectolite NaCa₂Si₃O₈(OH) is a crystalline sodium calcium silicate which has the potential to be used in plaster boards and in other industrial applications. Raman bands at 974 and 1026 cm(-1) are assigned to the SiO stretching vibrations of linked units of Si₃O₈ units. Raman bands at 974 and 998 cm(-1) serve to identify Si₃O₈ units. The broad Raman band at around 936 cm(-1) is attributed to hydroxyl deformation modes. Intense Raman band at 653 cm(-1) is assigned to OSiO bending vibration. Intense Raman bands in the 2700-3000 cm(-1) spectral range are assigned to OH stretching vibrations of the OH units in pectolite. Infrared spectra are in harmony with the Raman spectra. Raman spectroscopy with complimentary infrared spectroscopy enables the characterisation of the silicate mineral pectolite.

Keywords: Infrared spectroscopy; Molecular structure; Pectolite; Raman spectroscopy; Silicate.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Calcium / chemistry*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Minerals / analysis*
Minerals / chemistry*
Molecular Structure
Silicates / chemistry
Spectrophotometry, Infrared
Spectrum Analysis, Raman

Substances

Minerals
Silicates
Calcium