Synthesis and Characterization of γ-Alumina Porous Nanoparticles from Sodium Aluminate Liquor with Two Different Surfactants

Among the various phases of alumina, two phases γ and α are the most widely used in various industries. In this paper, γ-Al2O3 porous nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized from a simple aqueous sol–gel method using inexpensive material such as: sodium aluminate liquor, HCl, NaOH, Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Sodium aluminate liquor was extracted from Bayer liquor of alumina product processed in the Jajarm alumina factory. PEG and PVA were used as structure-stabilizing agents. The structures and properties of samples calcined at 800 ºC, were performed utilizing X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), termogeravimetery analysis (TG/DTA), and N2 adsorption/desorption techniques. Prepared sample of γ-Al2O3 with polyethylene glycol surfactant has an average crystallite size of 2.313 nm, average particle size of 20 nm, specific surface area (SSA) of 138.8 m2/g, and pore volume of ∼ 0.166 cm3/g. The average crystallite size of 2.063 nm, average particle size of 46 nm, specific surface area of 201.1 m2/g, and pore volume of ∼ 0.246 cm3/g, were achieved using polyvinyl alcohol surfactant.