2-Phenylethylammonium p-hydroxybenzoate: Growth, structural, spectral, thermal, optical and mechanical characterization

An efficient nonlinear optical single crystal of 2-phenylethylammonium p-hydroxybenzoate (2PPHB) was grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation solution growth method. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies confirmed that 2PPHB crystallizes in orthorhombic crystal system with non-centrosymmetric space group of Pna21. The presence of functional groups in the synthesized compound was identified by FTIR spectral analysis. The grown crystals were thermally stable up to 155 °C. UV–vis absorption, photoluminescence and birefringence optical properties of grown crystal were explored. The laser induced surface damage threshold and relative second harmonic generation properties of the grown crystal were studied using Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The variation of dielectric properties of the grown crystal with frequency was investigated for different temperatures. The mechanical response of the crystal was studied by Vicker's microhardness technique.