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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Facile Preparation of Ultrafine Aluminum Hydroxide Particles with or without Mesoporous MCM-41 in Ambient Environments
Published on: May 11, 2017
Structure of the hydrated alpha-Al(2)O(3) (0001) surface
1Consortium for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2115, USA. Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Sta.
The hydrated alpha-alumina (0001) surface is oxygen-terminated, differing from the clean, aluminum-terminated surface. This hydrated structure influences the reactivity of aluminum oxides.
Area of Science:
- Surface science
- Materials science
- Chemistry
Background:
- The physical and chemical properties of aluminum oxide surfaces are crucial for understanding their reactivity.
- The alpha-Al(2)O(3) (0001) surface's behavior in the presence of water is key to its applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the atomic structure of the hydrated alpha-Al(2)O(3) (0001) surface.
- To compare the hydrated surface structure with the clean surface structure.
Main Methods:
- Crystal truncation rod diffraction using synchrotron X-ray radiation.
- In-situ surface analysis under water vapor at 300 Kelvin.
Main Results:
- The hydrated alpha-Al(2)O(3) (0001) surface is oxygen-terminated with a contracted aluminum layer beneath.
- An adsorbed water layer was identified approximately 2.3 angstroms above the surface.
- The hydrated structure represents an intermediate between alpha-Al(2)O(3) and gamma-Al(OH)(3).
- The clean alpha-Al(2)O(3) (0001) surface is aluminum-terminated and relaxed.
Conclusions:
- The hydrated and clean alpha-Al(2)O(3) (0001) surfaces exhibit distinct structures.
- These structural differences explain the varying reactivities of clean versus hydroxylated aluminum oxide surfaces.
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