Abstract
γ-alumina, one of the metastable ‘transition’ alumina structural polymorphs, is an important catalytic
material both as an active phase and as a support for other catalytically active phases, with
widespread applications ranging from petroleum refining to automotive emission control. As such,
the bulk and surface structure of γ-alumina, and its formation and thermal stability, have been and
continue to be the subject of a considerable amount of research [1]. However, due to the low
crystallinity and very fine particle size of γ-alumina, it is very difficult to apply well-established
analytical techniques for determining its surface structures. Of particular importance for
understanding the catalytic properties of γ-alumina, relating its surface structure to the origin of
Lewis acidity has been of considerable interest and has been studied by solid state nuclear magnetic
resonance (NMR) [2] and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) [3] spectroscopies, and most recently by
theoretical calculations
