Abstract

Nanocrystalline transient aluminas (gamma-alumina) were coated on core particles (gamma-alumina) by a carbonate precipitation and thermal-assisted combustion, which is environmentally friend. The ammonium aluminum carbonate hydroxide (AACH) as a precursor for coating of transient aluminas was produced from precipitation reaction of ammonium aluminum sulfate and ammonium hydrogen carbonate. The crystalline size and morphology of the synthetic, AACH, were greatly dependent on pH and temperature. AACH with a size of 5 nm was coated on the core alumina particle at pH 9. whereas rod shape and large agglomerates were coated at pH 8 and 11, respectively. The AACH was tightly bonded coated on the core particle due to formation of surface complexes by the adsorption of carbonates, hydroxyl and ammonia groups on the surface of the core alumina powder. The synthetic precursor successfully converted to amorphous- and gamma-alumina phase at low temperature through decomposition of surface complexes and thermal-assisted phase transformation.

• Keywords: Alumina;Nanoparticle;Carbonate precipitation;