Activated alumina
Activated alumina is manufactured from aluminium hydroxide by dehydroxylation it in a way that produces a
highly porous material; this material can have a surface area significantly over 200 square metres/g. The compound
is used as a desiccant (to keep things dry by absorbing water from the air) and as a filter of fluoride, arsenic and
selenium in drinking water. It is made of aluminium oxide (alumina; Al2O3), the same chemical substance as
sapphire and rubies (but without the impurities that give those gems their color). It has a very high
surface-area-to-weight ratio. That means it has a lot of very small pores, almost like tunnels, that run throughout it.
We provide high quality activated alumina adsorbent for defluorination, activated alumina adsorbent for drying,
activated alumina for hydrogen peroxide to customers all over the world.
Uses
Catalyst applications
Activated alumina is used for a wide range of adsorbent and catalyst applications including the adsorption of
catalysts in polyethylene production, in hydrogen peroxide production, as a selective adsorbent for many chemicals
including arsenic, fluoride, in sulfur removal from gas streams (Claus Catalyst process).
Desiccant
Use as a desiccant, it works by a process called adsorption. The water in the air actually sticks to the alumina itself
in between the tiny passages, as the air passes through them. The water molecules become trapped so that the air is
dried out as it passes through the filter. This process is reversible, and if the alumina desiccant is heated to about
200°C it will release all of the water stored in it. This process is called regenerating the desiccant. Air always has
some water in it; one way to measure the amount of water in the air is the air's dew point.
Fluoride adsorbent
Activated alumina is also widely used to remove fluoride from drinking water. In the US, there are widespread
programs to fluoridate drinking water. However, in certain regions, such as the Jaipur region of India, there is
enough fluorine in the water to cause fluorosis. Activated alumina filters can easily reduce fluoride levels from .5
ppm to less than .1 ppm. The amount of fluoride leached from the water being filtered depends on how long the
water is actually touching the alumina filter media. Basically, the more alumina in the filter, the less fluoride will be
in the final, filtered water. Lower temperature water, and lower pH water (acidic water) are filtered more effectively
too.
Activated alumina, when used as a fluoride filter, can be regenerated by a solution of lye (sodium hydroxide;
NaOH), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), or alum (KAl(SO4)2).
Vacuum systems
In high vacuum applications, activated alumina is used as a charge material in foreline traps to prevent oil generated
by rotary vane pumps from backstreaming into the system.
Activated alumina is manufactured from aluminium hydroxide by dehydroxylation it in a way that produces a
highly porous material; this material can have a surface area significantly over 200 square metres/g. The compound
is used as a desiccant (to keep things dry by absorbing water from the air) and as a filter of fluoride, arsenic and
selenium in drinking water. It is made of aluminium oxide (alumina; Al2O3), the same chemical substance as
sapphire and rubies (but without the impurities that give those gems their color). It has a very high
surface-area-to-weight ratio. That means it has a lot of very small pores, almost like tunnels, that run throughout it.
We provide high quality activated alumina adsorbent for defluorination, activated alumina adsorbent for drying,
activated alumina for hydrogen peroxide to customers all over the world.
Uses
Catalyst applications
Activated alumina is used for a wide range of adsorbent and catalyst applications including the adsorption of
catalysts in polyethylene production, in hydrogen peroxide production, as a selective adsorbent for many chemicals
including arsenic, fluoride, in sulfur removal from gas streams (Claus Catalyst process).
Desiccant
Use as a desiccant, it works by a process called adsorption. The water in the air actually sticks to the alumina itself
in between the tiny passages, as the air passes through them. The water molecules become trapped so that the air is
dried out as it passes through the filter. This process is reversible, and if the alumina desiccant is heated to about
200°C it will release all of the water stored in it. This process is called regenerating the desiccant. Air always has
some water in it; one way to measure the amount of water in the air is the air's dew point.
Fluoride adsorbent
Activated alumina is also widely used to remove fluoride from drinking water. In the US, there are widespread
programs to fluoridate drinking water. However, in certain regions, such as the Jaipur region of India, there is
enough fluorine in the water to cause fluorosis. Activated alumina filters can easily reduce fluoride levels from .5
ppm to less than .1 ppm. The amount of fluoride leached from the water being filtered depends on how long the
water is actually touching the alumina filter media. Basically, the more alumina in the filter, the less fluoride will be
in the final, filtered water. Lower temperature water, and lower pH water (acidic water) are filtered more effectively
too.
Activated alumina, when used as a fluoride filter, can be regenerated by a solution of lye (sodium hydroxide;
NaOH), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), or alum (KAl(SO4)2).
Vacuum systems
In high vacuum applications, activated alumina is used as a charge material in foreline traps to prevent oil generated
by rotary vane pumps from backstreaming into the system.