Infrared Absorption Spectra of Serpentine Cat's Eye and the Mechanism of It's Thermotransformation

DTA, IR and XRD were used to study the characteristics of serpentine cat's eye from Sichuan province at different temperatures. Also, the thermotransformation products and mechanism of Sichuan serpentine cat's eye were discussed. Finally, the mechanism of thermotransformation of chrysotile cat's eye was proposed. The results show that when heated up to 700℃, the serpentine cat's eye completely dehydrates and partly transforms into crystalline forsterite and non-crystalline enstatite. At 800℃, crystalline enstatite is formed. Heated above 800 to 1100℃, the amount of crystalline forsterite and enstatite increases gradually: Up to 1100℃, the degree of crystalline order of enstatite is improved. During thermotransformation, no SiO2 phase is formed.