Activated alumina
Description
Originally a brand name, but now a general name, for a highly porous and granular form of aluminum oxide. Activated alumina is composed of partially dehydrated alumina trihydrate. Because it has a strong affinity for moisture and volatile compounds, alumina is primarily used to remove water and odors from gases and liquids. The physical adsorption of materials is reversible and alumina can be reactivated by heat (176-315 C) several times. It is also used as a desiccant (dryer), as a media in chromatographic columns and as a sorbent in water purification systems. One commercial form of activated alumina, F-6, is impregnated with cobaltous chloride as a moisture indicator. The anhydrous form of cobaltous chloride is blue while the hydrated form is pink. Activated alumina is also used as a carrier for potassium permanganate for the irreversible chemisorption of gases.
Synonyms and Related Terms
Activated Alumina F-1 [Aluminum]; Activated Alumina F-6 [Aluminum];
| Composition | Al2O3 |
|---|---|
| Molecular Weight | mol. wt. = 101.96 |
Hazards and Safety
Dust may cause irritation with skin contact or inhalation.
Mallinckrodt Baker: MSDS
Authority
- G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 35
- Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
- Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "alumina" Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. [Accessed May 8, 2003].
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_alumina (Accessed Dec. 9, 2005)