Refractive Index of Different Liquids
The refractive index is a fundamental optical property of a substance that measures how much light bends and slows down when it passes through that substance, compared to a vacuum.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of refractive index values for different liquids, taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and wavelength (λ) of 589 nm.
| Acetic acid | 1.3720 |
| Acetic anhydride | 1.3900 |
| Acetone | 1.3590 |
| Acetonitrile | 1.3440 |
| Acetophenone | 1.5320 |
| Acrylic acid | 1.4220 |
| Aniline | 1.5860 |
| Anisole | 1.5179 |
| Benzaldehyde | 1.544 |
| Benzene | 1.5010 |
| Benzyl alcohol | 1.539 |
| Benzyl benzoate | 1.568 |
| Bromine | 1.6083 |
| Bromobenzene | 1.5597 |
| Butanoic acid | 1.3991 |
| 1-Butanol | 1.3993 |
| 2-Butanol | 1.3978 |
| Butyl acetate | 1.3941 |
| tert-Butyl alcohol | 1.3878 |
| Carbon disulfide | 1.6260 |
| Carbon tetrachloride | 1.4660 |
| Chlorobenzene | 1.5241 |
| Chloroform | 1.4430 |
| Cyclohexane | 1.4260 |
| Cyclohexanol | 1.4641 |
| Cyclohexanone | 1.4507 |
| Cyclohexene | 1.4465 |
| Cyclopentane | 1.4070 |
| Decane | 1.4120 |
| Dichloromethane | 1.4250 |
| Diethylamine | 1.3860 |
| Diethyl ether | 1.3530 |
| Diiodomethane | 1.7425 |
| 2,2-Dimethylbutane | 1.3688 |
| 1,4-Dioxane | 1.4200 |
| Dodecane | 1.4216 |
| Ethanol | 1.3610 |
| Ethyl acetate | 1.3720 |
| Ethylbenzene | 1.4959 |
| Ethylene glycol | 1.4320 |
| Formamide | 1.4475 |
| Formic acid | 1.3714 |
| Glycerol | 1.4746 |
| Heptane | 1.3855 |
| 2-Heptanone | 1.4088 |
| Hexadecane | 1.4329 |
| Hexane | 1.3750 |
| 1-Hexanol | 1.4162 |
| Isoamyl alcohol | 1.4075 |
| Isobutanol | 1.3955 |
| Isobutyl acetate | 1.3902 |
| Isopropyl alcohol | 1.3772 |
| Limonene | 1.4744 |
| Methanol | 1.3280 |
| Methyl acetate | 1.3620 |
| Methyl benzoate | 1.5164 |
| 2-Methylpentane | 1.3715 |
| Methyl salicylate | 1.5369 |
| Methylcyclohexane | 1.4231 |
| Nitrobenzene | 1.5562 |
| Nonane | 1.4058 |
| Octane | 1.3974 |
| 1-Octanol | 1.4205 |
| 2-Octanol | 1.4264 |
| Pentadecane | 1.4315 |
| Pentane | 1.3580 |
| 1-Pentanol | 1.4100 |
| 2-Pentanone | 1.3895 |
| 3-Pentanone | 1.3905 |
| alpha-Pinene | 1.4632 |
| beta-Pinene | 1.4768 |
| Propionic acid | 1.3869 |
| Propyl acetate | 1.3844 |
| Propylene carbonate | 1.4189 |
| Propylene glycol | 1.4324 |
| Styrene | 1.5440 |
| Sulfuric acid | 1.418 |
| Tetrahydrofuran | 1.4070 |
| Toluene | 1.4970 |
| m-Xylene | 1.4973 |
| o-Xylene | 1.5058 |
| p-Xylene | 1.4957 |
| Water | 1.3330 |
These values represent the refractive index of liquids at the specified conditions. Keep in mind that the refractive index can vary with factors such as temperature, wavelength of light, and impurities in the substance.
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.