Effect of solvents on the preparation of lithium aluminate by sol–gel method

γ-Lithium aluminate was prepared by sol–gel method using lithium methoxide and aluminum-sec-butoxide precursors in i-propanol, n- and tert-butanol. Clear gels could be obtained due to the addition of ethylacetoacetate and the dried solids were calcined at 550 and 900 °C. The resulting solids were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermo-gravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA). γ-Lithium aluminate with the highest purity was obtained with t-butanol solvent and LiAl5O8 was the second major phase.