Effect of Calcination Temperature in the Aluminum Oxide Synthesized by Pechini Method in the Citric Acid: Metal Cation Ratio of 2:1

Abstract

Through the constant search by researchers to obtain materials with improved properties, literature has presented an annual increase in the number of articles that seek to optimize in the methodology used to prepare nanopowders. In this way, the aim of this work is to study how the calcined temperature (500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100 and 1200oC) changes the final properties of the alumina synthesized by Pechini method with citric acid: metallic cation ratio of 2:1. The alumina was characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, particle size analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed a total of mass loss of 61.6%. The alumina phase appear at 800°C of temperature, however the α-alumina only appear at 1100oC. The increase in the calcined temperature increases the crystallite size and the crystallinity of the alumina and the great value reached for the agglomerates diameter was 13μm for the alumina calcined at 1200oC. In relation to the morphology of the alumina, it was observed heterogeneous particles with different size and irregular geometry, with aspect of high density.