Homogeneous nucleation of corundum nanocrystallites by rapid heating of aluminum formate hydroxide-based precursor powder.

The high density nucleation of α-AlO nanocrystallites was observed by rapid heating of the aluminum formate hydroxide-based precursor powder at 1200 °C for 50 s. The nucleation of α-AlO nanocrystallites with less 10 nm in size from high purity aluminum oxide matrix has not been observed to our knowledge. Based on the results of XRD and TEM, α-AlO nanocrystallites nucleated from the amorphous phase which formed after thermal decomposition of the precursor powder. Subsequently, α-AlO with hollow rod-like morphology formed through coalescence and growth of nanocrystallites after heating at 1200 °C for 1 min. The results obtained in this paper indicates a possible beneficial effect of the rapid heating and cooling of the aluminum formate hydroxide-based precursor powder on the precipitation of α-AlO nanocrystallites.