Influence of calcination temperature on the surface area of submicron-sized Al2O3 electrospun fibers

Submicron-sized Al2O3 fibers were formed by calcination of electrospun aluminum acetate/PVP composite fibers. At 650 °C, the fibers were amorphous. As the calcination temperature increased to 750 °C, the fibers transitioned from amorphous to 49 % crystalline gamma phase Al2O3. The crystallinity further increased with calcination temperature to 80 % gamma Al2O3 at 950 °C, but decreased above 950 °C as the crystal structure began to change to alpha phase. The fiber diameters tended to decrease as calcination temperature increased to 950 °C but increased as the alpha phase was formed at temperatures above 950 °C. Surface areas as measured by BET decreased as gamma phase crystallinity increased. Further decrease in surface area as the gamma phase crystal structure transitioned to alpha phase indicated changing internal pore structures of the fibers.