A new simplified route to prepare crystalline alpha-alumina powders is proposed from the decomposition of aluminum formate Al(O2CH)(3) precursor following a process of gelation of Al(O2CH)(3) in an aqueous medium. Heat treated powders were characterized by XRD, Raman and infrared spectroscopy showing the presence of eta-Al2O3 at 1000 degrees C and the transformation to alpha-Al2O3 at 1100 degrees C, where SEM images of alpha-Al2O3 reveled an size of 1-2 mu m by the aggregated particles, and TEM images confirm a particles size of 200-300 nm. By other hand BET study showed that the specific surface area of eta-Al2O3 and the alpha-Al2O3 obtained is higher than the specific surface area reported for these materials (until 118 m(2)/g), ratify that this new route process at low temperature promote to obtain the powers with an excellent superficial area.
Keywords: alpha-alumina; Aluminum formate; Raman; Infrared spectroscopy