Growth and characterization of strontium formate dihydrate (Sr(HCOO)2·2H2O) single crystals doped strongly with glycine

Strontium formate dihydrate (SFD) single crystals doped strongly (10 mol%) with glycine have been grown and characterized by carrying out powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectral, Raman spectral, thermogravimetric (TG/DTA), UV-vis-NIR spectral, second harmonic generation (SHG) and microhardness measurements. Results obtained indicate that strong doping with glycine increases the crystal size but the glycine concentration in the crystal is found to be significantly less than that considered in the solution used for the growth of single crystals. Also, it is found that the strong doping leads to tuning the optical and mechanical properties of SFD crystal but comparable to that done by lower concentrated glycine doping only.