Activated Alumina: All You Need to Know
A solid, porous form of aluminum oxide, activated alumina is also referred to as Al2O3, or simply alumina. This is the same exact mineral precious gems, such as sapphire and ruby, are made up of. It’s actually the impurities in this mineral that give these gems their bright colors.
Activated alumina is also a porous material with a high surface area, and one all existing moisture has been evacuated from the material; it can be used as a great desiccant with super absorption capabilities.
Over the course of this blog post, we’ll discuss the features of activated alumina, and the applications it can be used for.
Activated Alumina: The Features
Like we’ve mentioned above, activated alumina is a form of aluminum oxide. However, the thing that makes it interesting and gives it its unique properties is how the molecules of the material are connected with each other. When examined at a microscopic level, the material is comprised of minute porous spheres that are joined together in a way that creates “tunnels” inside the material.
This unique composition makes them ideal for a variety of different applications. For instance, they can be used for dying gases. It’s vital to dry volatile gases in order to transport them safely. Activated alumina is the ideal solution here because instead of absorbing, it adsorbs. The two terms may sound similar, but there’s a vital difference. For instance, a sponge absorbs water, but doesn’t adsorb it. While the water molecules get trapped in the sponge, they don’t actually bond with the molecules of the sponge.
When a substance is drawn into the pores of activated alumina sphere, on the other hand, its molecules actually bond with those of activated alumina. It can only be separated through heating.
Activated Alumina: The Features
The unique properties of activated alumina make it suitable for a wide range of industrial applications, including the removal of toxic gases and removing toxic waste from rainwater runoffs from contaminated areas. It’s also commonly used to purify water for industrial applications. Last but not the least, it’s a superb desiccant, and is widely used for drying air and other gases as well as purification and dehydration during the production of gasoline, natural gases, and hydrogen peroxide.
As a premier manufacturer and supplier of industrial absorbents and desiccants, Sorbead India offers premium quality activated alumina, molecular sieves and oxygen absorber packets online. Get in touch with us to learn more about the products we offer.
