Thermal decomposition of gibbsite under low pressures: I. Formation of the boehmitic phase

Abstract

The incomplete transformation of gibbsite Al(OH) 3 into boehmite AlO(OH) during the course of its thermal decomposition is explained with the help of a model involving both a diffusion of hydroxyls either along the “structural channels” of the gibbsite microcrystal or along the cleavage planes and a desorption of water. This study is based mainly on experiments carried out with micron-size samples, involving thermal analysis under controlled pressure and constant decomposition rate.