Observation of alumina nanoparticles generated from aqueous solutions of a "flat" aluminum-13 cluster

Amorphous alumina nanoparticles were synthesized via dynamic processes during the dissolution of aluminum hydroxide by nitric acid, a method commonly used to produce aqueous solutions of aluminum oxide molecular clusters. These particles were characterized by DLS measurements, and corroborated by other solution and solid state analyses. The methods used represent a highly tuneable, facile synthetic pathway that allows for size targeting and scalability for industrial purposes, and provides insight into pH- and temperature-dependent alumina speciation and aggregation.