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Fabrication of Flexible α‐Alumina Fibers Composed of Nanosheets
Author(s) -
Zhang Pingping,
Chen Dairong,
Jiao Xiuling
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201200292
Subject(s) - polyvinylpyrrolidone , chemistry , chemical engineering , fabrication , nanofiber , aqueous solution , electrospinning , thermal stability , anhydrous , aluminium nitrate , catalysis , solvent , nitric acid , sol gel , inorganic chemistry , aluminium , polymer chemistry , organic chemistry , polymer , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , engineering
Flexible α‐alumina nanofibers were fabricated by the sol–gel method combined with an electrospinning process. The sol was prepared with aluminum isopropoxide and aluminum nitrate as the precursors, nitric acid as the catalyst, and ethanol aqueous solution as the solvent. Small amounts of anhydrous magnesium sulfate as additive acted to stabilize the γ‐Al 2 O 3 structure and retard its conversion to α‐Al 2 O 3 firstly, and subsequently MgAl 2 O 4 was formed at the grain boundaries to inhibit grain growth. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was applied to tune sol viscosity. The fibers with diameters of 300–400 nm are composed of α‐Al 2 O 3 nanosheets with thickness in the range of 20–50 nm and stack along [0001] at the axial direction. The fibers exhibited good flexibility and thermal stability.