Crystal growth and properties measurements of nickel doped potassium dihydrogen citrate crystals

Abstract

Potassium dihydrogen citrate (KDC) is well-recognized food additive and mineral found in various fruits which make it interesting to study its properties under the influence of toxic metal doping. Pure and different mol% Ni2+-doped KDC crystals were grown using slow-solvent evaporation technique at room temperature. The grown crystals exhibits needle-shaped morphology. EDAX analysis reveals apparent concentration of Ni2+ in different mol% Ni2+-doped KDC. Indexing of powder XRD patterns of pure and different mol% Ni2+-doped KDC reveals triclinic symmetry of grown crystals. W–H analysis reveals presence of lattice strain under the incorporation of Ni2+ doping in the host lattice of KDC. Bond assignments corresponding to various functional groups present in grown crystals is studied using the FT-IR spectroscopic study. The modification in thermal stability of KDC due to Ni2+ doping is studied using TGA analysis. The SEM study has shown grain growth in KDC crystal due to Ni2+ doping. The presence of grain, grain boundary effect and relaxation mechanism involved in transport properties of pure and different mol% Ni2+ doped KDC is reported using the Impedance–Modulus spectroscopic studies. Dielectric studies reveal modification in dielectric constant, dielectric loss and a.c. conductivity of KDC due to Ni2+ doping. The structural defect mechanism is well studied using the photoluminescence.