Effect of Solvent Properties on the Growth, Morphology, and Second Harmonic Generation Ability of 4‐Aminobenzophenone (ABP) Single Crystals

Abstract

One of the best‐known benzophenone derivatives for nonlinear optical applications, 4‐aminobenzophenone (ABP), is grown as single crystals from saturated solutions employing fast and slow evaporation methodologies with different solvent environments by means of varied dipole moment, viscosity, and evaporation rates such as toluene, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, dimethyl formamide, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and a mixture of ethanol‐DMSO (1:1) at 32 °C. Variation in the solubility determined by gravimetric analysis, end‐crystal morphology perceived through in‐situ optical microscopy, and origination of growth defects observed along different crystallographic directions are investigated based on the solute‐solvent interactions permissible according to the polarity and aforementioned physical properties of the solvents. Bravais‐Friedel‐Donnay‐Harker morphology, crystalline purity, thermal stability, optical transmittance, and infrared vibrational modes are analyzed through the single crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, UV‐visible‐near IR, and Fourier‐transform infrared spectral analyses. The second‐harmonic generation (SHG) ability of the ABP crystals grown with different solvents and solvent mixture is studied through Kurtz and Perry powder technique in comparison with that of the inorganic and organic standards. The results reveal that the ABP crystals grown from mixed solvent environment ethanol:DMSO (1:1) to become eventually with improved quality, size, and SHG ability among the other crystals grown in the present study.