Nanocrystalline boehmite obtained at room temperature

Abstract

The single phase nanocrystalline boehmite is obtained for the first time at room temperature by a facile hydrolysis of Bayer liquor. Mesoporosity in boehmite powders was constructed using the glucose as a template. As-synthesized boehmite powders have high surface area (above 350 m2/g) and the average crystallite size less than 5 nm. Through the thermal dehydration at 500 °C, boehmite isomorphously transforms to γ-alumina retaining the lamellar morphology and mesoporosity of the parent phase.