Facile Synthesis and Characterization of a Thermally Stable Modified- Alumina with Tunable Catalytic Activity.

Abstract

In the present study, self-limiting hydrogel method was used for the synthesis of hierarchical macro- mesoporous structure- hollow microsphere γ- Al2O3 (Al(HPS)). Structural characterization of the prepared alumina was confirmed through several techniques e.g., high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and N2 Physisorption measurements. Different graphene oxides (GO) were prepared using different methods namely, graphite flakes of different sizes (viz., 250 and 600 µm) were oxidized using two different methods; Hummer’s method with additional KMnO4 and improved Hummer’s method In addition, the synthesized graphene oxide samples were exfoliated either by ultrasonic or microwaves. The choose of a suitable GO sample to modify the synthesized γ- Al2O3 (Al(HPS) microspheres dictated by the presence of higher amount of anchoring carboxyl groups on the surface of graphene