Features of Composition and Microstructure of Serpentine Cat’s-Eye from Sichuan Province, Southwest of China

Serpentine cat's-eye from Sichuan Province are studied by FTIR, XRD and SEM. The results indicate that the serpentine cat's-eye mainly consists of chrysotiles, which show the characteristic diffraction lines d_{202, 006}=0.244 6 nm (I/I₀=29) and d_{202, 006}=0.245 1 nm (I/I₀=27) in the XRD pattern; two absorption bands near 3 600~ 690 cm^-1 and three characteristic IR absorption bands around 960~1 100 cm^-1and one weak shoulder absorption band in the IR patterns. The fibers of chrysotile have two types: one with good tenacity, clear and smooth appearance, without corrosion spots; the other with poor tenacity and corrosion spots in their internal structure. At the cross section, the fibers of chrysotile show the special microstructure: the core is round, the outer layers are irregular-shaped multiangular.