Growth and characterization of an organic nonlinear optical material—lauric acid crystal

Abstract

Single crystals of pure lauric acid (LA) were harvested from ethanol solution by a slow evaporation technique. X-ray diffraction showed that the LA crystallized in the monoclinic system and was used to determine the lattice parameters. The Kurtz–Perry powder technique showed that the second-harmonic generation efficiency of LA was 0.87 times that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Fourier transform infrared spectral analysis was used to identify the various fatty acid functional groups present in the sample. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis revealed that the LA crystal is stable up to 45 °C. The mechanical strength of the sample crystal was estimated by the Vickers hardness test. Impedance analysis was carried out for the sample at different frequencies and a Nyquist plot was drawn to understand the electrical properties.