Refractive Index of Common Alkanes
Alkanes have a relatively low refractive index compared to many other substances. The following table provides a comprehensive list of refractive index values for common alkanes measured at wavelength (λ) of 589 nm.
| Temperature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ethane (C2H6) | 0 | 1.0377 |
| Propane (C3H8) | 20 | 1.2898 |
| Butane (C4H10) | 20 | 1.3326 |
| Pentane (C5H12) | 20 | 1.358 |
| Hexane (C6H14) | 20 | 1.375 |
| Heptane (C7H16) | 20 | 1.3855 |
| Octane (C8H18) | 20 | 1.397 |
| Nonane (C9H20) | 20 | 1.4058 |
| Decane (C10H22) | 20 | 1.412 |
| Undecane (C11H24) | 20 | 1.4398 |
| Dodecane (C12H26) | 20 | 1.4216 |
| Tridecane (C13H28) | 20 | 1.4256 |
| Tetradecane (C14H30) | 20 | 1.429 |
| Pentadecane (C15H32) | 20 | 1.4315 |
| Hexadecane (C16H34) | 20 | 1.4329 |
| Heptadecane (C17H36) | 20 | 1.4369 |
| Octadecane (C18H38) | 20 | 1.439 |
| Nonadecane (C19H40) | 20 | 1.4409 |
| Eicosane (C20H42) | 20 | 1.4425 |
| Heneicosane (C21H44) | 20 | 1.4441 |
| Docosane (C22H46) | 20 | 1.4455 |
| Tricosane (C23H48) | 20 | 1.4468 |
| Tetracosane (C24H50) | 70 | 1.4283 |
| Pentacosane (C25H52) | 20 | 1.4491 |
| Hexacosane (C26H54) | 60 | 1.4357 |
| Heptacosane (C27H56) | 65 | 1.4345 |
| Octacosane (C28H58) | 70 | 1.4330 |
| Nonacosane (C29H60) | 20 | 1.4529 |
| Triacontane (C30H62) | 70 | 1.4352 |
| Hentriacontane (C31H64) | 90 | 1.4278 |
| Dotriacontane (C32H66) | 20 | 1.455 |
| Tritriacontane (C33H68) | 25 | 1.4618 |
| Tetratriacontane (C34H70) | 90 | 1.4296 |
| Pentatriacontane (C35H72) | 20 | 1.4568 |
| Hexatriacontane (C36H74) | 80 | 1.4397 |
| Heptatriacontane (C37H76) | 25 | 1.4677 |
| Octatriacontane (C38H78) | 25 | 1.4691 |
| Nonatriacontane (C39H80) | 25 | 1.4705 |
| Tetracontane (C40H82) | 25 | 1.4719 |
| Hentetracontane (C41H84) | 25 | 1.4732 |
| Dotetracontane (C42H86) | 25 | 1.4744 |
| Tritetracontane (C43H88) | 25 | 1.4755 |
| Tetratetracontane (C44H90) | 25 | 1.4766 |
| Pentatetracontane (C45H92) | 25 | 1.4778 |
| Hexatetracontane (C46H94) | 25 | 1.4789 |
| Heptatetracontane (C47H96) | 25 | 1.4799 |
| Octatetracontane (C48H98) | 25 | 1.4811 |
| Nonatetracontane (C49H100) | 25 | 1.4819 |
| Pentacontane (C50H102) | 25 | 1.4830 |
| Henpentacontane (C51H104) | 25 | 1.4840 |
| Dopentacontane (C52H106) | 25 | 1.4848 |
| Tripentacontane (C53H108) | 25 | 1.4858 |
| Tetrapentacontane (C54H110) | 25 | 1.4867 |
| Pentapentacontane (C55H112) | 25 | 1.4875 |
| Hexapentacontane (C56H114) | 25 | 1.4883 |
| Heptapentacontane (C57H116) | 25 | 1.4891 |
| Octapentacontane (C58H118) | 25 | 1.4899 |
| Nonapentacontane (C59H120) | 25 | 1.4908 |
| Hexacontane (C60H122) | 25 | 1.4914 |
| Henhexacontane (C61H124) | 25 | 1.4922 |
| Dohexacontane (C62H126) | 25 | 1.4930 |
| Trihexacontane (C63H128) | 25 | 1.4937 |
| Tetrahexacontane (C64H130) | 25 | 1.4943 |
| Pentahexacontane (C65H132) | 25 | 1.4949 |
| Hexahexacontane (C66H134) | 25 | 1.4957 |
| Heptahexacontane (C67H136) | 25 | 1.4963 |
| Octahexacontane (C68H138) | 25 | 1.4970 |
| Nonahexacontane (C69H140) | 25 | 1.4976 |
| Heptacontane (C70H142) | 25 | 1.4982 |
Related Tables
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) Yaws, Carl L. The Yaws Handbook of Physical Properties for Hydrocarbons and Chemicals. Netherlands: Elsevier Science, 2015. 4) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).