Effect of precursors on the morphology of lithium aluminate prepared by hydrothermal treatment

Abstract

Hydrothermal treatment method was proposed to prepare pure LiAlO2 with fibrous crystal morphology and the effect of precursors on the morphology of lithium aluminate was investigated. Lithium butoxide-aluminum butoxide system gave mostly rod-like beta-LiAlO2 crystal. As the length of alkoxy group decreases, the fraction of plate shape crystals was increased and boehmite was dominant crystal phase. Needle-shape beta-LiAlO2 was produced from lithium nitrate-aluminum butoxide-sodium hydroxide system with the mole ratio of 6 : 1 : 3, respectively. beta-LiAlO2 prepared by hydrothermal treatment was transformed to gamma-LiAlO2 at 750-850 degrees C. The specific surface area of gamma-LiAlO2 powders was above 10 m(2)/g. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.