Refractive Index of Common Alkenes
Alkenes generally have refractive indices ranging from approximately 1.40 to 1.50. The table below provides a curated list of refractive index values for various alkenes measured at wavelength (λ) of 589 nm.
| Temperature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ethene (C2H4) | 25 | 1.0007 |
| Propene (C3H6) | -70 | 1.3567 |
| Butene (C4H8) | 20 | 1.3962 |
| Pentene (C5H10) | 20 | 1.3715 |
| Hexene (C6H12) | 20 | 1.3837 |
| Heptene (C7H14) | 20 | 1.3994 |
| Octene (C8H16) | 25 | 1.4062 |
| Nonene (C9H18) | 20 | 1.4257 |
| Decene (C10H20) | 20 | 1.4215 |
| Undecene (C11H22) | 20 | 1.42609 |
| Dodecene (C12H24) | 20 | 1.43 |
| Tridecene (C13H26) | 20 | 1.434 |
| Tetradecene (C14H28) | 20 | 1.4351 |
| Pentadecene (C15H30) | 25 | 1.4367 |
| Hexadecene (C16H32) | 20 | 1.4412 |
| Heptadecene (C17H34) | 25 | 1.4410 |
| Octadecene (C18H36) | 20 | 1.444 |
| Nonadecene (C19H38) | 25 | 1.4450 |
| Eicosene (C20H40) | 30 | 1.4440 |
| Heneicosene (C21H42) | 25 | 1.4544 |
| Docosene (C22H44) | 25 | 1.4568 |
| Tricosene (C23H46) | 25 | 1.4592 |
| Tetracosene (C24H48) | 25 | 1.4615 |
| Pentacosene (C25H50) | 25 | 1.4637 |
| Hexacosene (C26H52) | 25 | 1.4657 |
| Heptacosene (C27H54) | 25 | 1.4677 |
| Octacosene (C28H56) | 25 | 1.4696 |
| Nonacosene (C29H58) | 25 | 1.4716 |
| Triacontene (C30H60) | 25 | 1.4732 |
| Hentriacontene (C31H62) | 25 | 1.4751 |
| Dotriacontene (C32H64) | 25 | 1.4767 |
| Tritriacontene (C33H66) | 25 | 1.4783 |
| Tetratriacontene (C34H68) | 25 | 1.4800 |
| Pentatriacontene (C35H70) | 25 | 1.4816 |
| Hexatriacontene (C36H72) | 25 | 1.4830 |
| Heptatriacontene (C37H74) | 25 | 1.4845 |
| Octatriacontene (C38H76) | 25 | 1.4859 |
| Nonatriacontene (C39H78) | 25 | 1.4873 |
| Tetracontene (C40H80) | 25 | 1.4886 |
| Hentetracontene (C41H82) | 25 | 1.4895 |
| Dotetracontene (C42H84) | 25 | 1.4907 |
| Tritetracontene (C43H86) | 25 | 1.4919 |
| Tetratetracontene (C44H88) | 25 | 1.4930 |
| Pentatetracontene (C45H90) | 25 | 1.4941 |
| Hexatetracontene (C46H92) | 25 | 1.4952 |
| Heptatetracontene (C47H94) | 25 | 1.4963 |
| Octatetracontene (C48H96) | 25 | 1.4973 |
| Nonatetracontene (C49H98) | 25 | 1.4983 |
| Pentacontene (C50H100) | 25 | 1.4992 |
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).