CHARACTERISTICS OF ALUMINA POWDERS PREPARED BY SPRAY OF BOEHMITE SOL

Boehmite sol prepared from aluminum nitrate has been spray-dried to obtain micrometer-size spherical particles consisting of submicrometer crystallites. The spray-dried powder was further washed with solvents of varying polarities such as acetone, 2-propanol, and 2-methyl-2-propanol. Particle-size distribution, morphology, density, compaction, and sintering characteristics of powders wash ed with different solvents are reported. The effect of posttreatments on the boehmite-sol-derived powders toward reducing agglomeration and obtaining high-density bodies is discussed.