Aluminium oxide

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Aluminium oxide
Rubies.jpg
Samples of ruby, a red variant of corundum.
Names
IUPAC name
Dialuminum;oxygen(2-)
Systematic IUPAC name
Aluminium oxide
Other names
Alumina
corundum
ruby
Saphire
Identifiers
Jmol-3D images Image
Properties
Al2O3
Appearance white solid
Density 3.95–4.1 g/cm3
Melting point 2,072 °C (3,762 °F; 2,345 K)
Boiling point 2,977 °C (5,391 °F; 3,250 K)
insoluble
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Aluminium oxide or alumina is the chemical compound of aluminum and oxygen, with chemical formula Al2O3. It's the most common and stable form of the aluminium oxides. Aluminium oxide occurs naturally in it's crystalline alpha phase as mineral corundum.

Properties

Chemical

Aluminium oxide will react with sodium hydroxide to form sodium aluminate.

Physical

Aluminium oxide is very hard solid (9 Mohs scale). It's electrical insulator.

Availability

Aluminium oxide is often present in sandpapers, you can also buy it from mineral collectors as corrundum or gemstones like ruby or saphire.

Heating elements also contain alumina powder which acts as an insulator for the resistance wiring.

Preparation

Aluminium oxide is a product of thermite reaction:

M2O3 + 2 Al → Al2O3 + 2 M

This reaction also gives various aluminates, and separating the alumina from the slag is complicated and may not worth it.

A much better method involves the dehydration of aluminium hydroxide

Projects

  • Make aluminium salts

Handling

No special handling is necessary.

Safety

Avoid inhalating the dust. Aluminium oxide isn't flamable or explosive.

Storage

Storage in closed bottles is adequate.

Disposal

Aluminium oxide could be safely dumped with normal trash or spilled out in a soil.

References

Relevant Sciencemadness threads