Abstract
As a result of recent x-ray and electron diffraction studies of serpentine minerals (1) (2) (3) (4), samples were available of each of the known structural and morphological varieties of this group of minerals. It seemed worth while, therefore, to record their infra-red absorption spectra. Measurements were made with a Perkin-Elmer model 21 doublebeam spectrometer using an NaCl prism. The finely powdered minerals were intimately mixed with powdered KBr using 0.75 mg. of mineral and 300 mg. of KBr, and were pressed into transparent discs under vacuum. A reference disc of pure KBr was prepared in a similar manner. The powdered materials were dried at 110° C. for 15 hr. and stored in a desiccator prior to weighing and efforts were made to reduce water-adsorption from the atmosphere to a minimum and to equalize the adsorptions on the two discs by using similar preparatory techniques. When measurements were made on different days, new KBr blanks were prepared.
