Synthesis of mesoporous alumina through a three-compartment electrodialysis method

Abstract

Alumina has attracted considerable interest due to its catalytic and adsorptive properties. Although sodium aluminate hydrolysis is the traditional method of synthesizing alumina, its production often contains impurities that limit its application. Herein, we propose a novel and environmentally friendly approach for synthesizing mesoporous alumina using a three-compartment electrodialysis system with sodium aluminate as the precursor. By employing selectively permeable anionic membranes, we successfully synthesized mesoporous alumina with a purity of 99.9 %. The experimental results elucidated that aluminate ion transport kinetics were markedly accelerated under the synergistic effects of elevated feed concentration, decreased pH, and heightened applied voltage, a phenomenon predominantly governed by the consequent reduction in membrane resistance. The resultant mesoporous alumina exhibited a pore size of 30 nm and a pore volume of 1.80 cm³ g⁻¹. This work introduces an innovative method for mesoporous alumina synthesis via a three-compartment electrodialysis system, paving the way for novel applications in various engineering fields.