%0 Journal Article
%T Growth and Analysis of NSH and KMNSH Crystals by Slow Evaporation Technique
%A V. Masilamani
%A J. Shanthi
%A V. Sheelarani
%J ISRN Condensed Matter Physics
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/678567
%X Nickel sulphate hexahydrate (NSH) and potassium magnesium nickel sulphate hexahydrate (KMNSH) single crystals were grown by slow evaporation method. The grown NSH crystal was found to crystallize in tetragonal system with space group P41 21 2 and KMNSH in monoclinic system with space group P121/c. The optical band gap energies of the grown crystals using UV-Vis spectral results for the doped and undoped NSH crystals were calculated. The presence of various functional groups in the crystal was identified by FTIR analysis. The thermal behaviour of the grown crystal has been studied by TGA/DTA analysis. 1. Introduction Ultraviolet (UV) light filters are used in missile approach warning systems which locate and track UV energy emitting sources and are used as sensors for helicopters or transport aircraft. Commercially available nickel sulphate hexahydrate crystals are widely used as sensors. The biggest problem for these sensors arises due to low thermal stability of nickel sulphate crystals which is 76ˇăC. The potassium nickel sulphate hexahydrate (KNSH) crystals which have higher thermal stability as 97ˇăC are used in missile approach warning systems and as sensors in spaceships [1, 2]. Several other crystals such as cesium nickel sulphate hexahydrate (CNSH) [3], iron nickel sulphate twelvehydrate (FNSH) [4], rubidium nickel sulphate hexahydrate (RNSH) [5], and ammonium cobalt nickel sulphate hexahydrate (ACNSH) [6] are also reported as UV filter materials. Similar research work carried out on potassium sulphate [7, 8], potassium cobalt nickel sulphate hexahydrate (KCNSH) [9, 10], bis thiourea magnesium sulphate (BTMS) [11], and magnesium sulphate heptahydrate [12] crystals is also reported. In the search of newer crystalline materials with better filter transmission property and higher thermal stability, the growth of potassium magnesium nickel sulphate crystal has been carried out in this research work. 2. Experimental Procedure NiSO4ˇ¤6H2O, K2SO4, and MgSO4ˇ¤7H2O of AR grade (purity > 98.0%) were used. Approximate molar ratio of materials was taken using digital balance and dissolved in double distilled water. The solution of pH value 5 was stirred for nearly 2 hourswith magnetic stirrer to ensure homogeneity. Heating the solution to 60ˇăC is carried out to promote the reaction and then is cooled to 40ˇăC slowly. An abduction is formed according to the reaction given as follows: The homogenised solution was filtered twice using Whatman filter paper number 1 and then allowed to evaporate at 40ˇăC temperature using a constant temperature bath. Then the solution
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.cmp/2014/678567/