Water-soluble amorphous alumina-based ceramic precursors and alumosols: Structural and chemical characterization

We examined the solid-state water-soluble amorphous precursors that are formed by partial thermal decomposition of Al(NO3)3·9H2O (aluminum nitrate nonahydrate: ANN) using Raman and FTIR and solid-state magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. We also studied the species formed in the aqueous alumosols formed by dissolution of the pre-ceramic precursors using 27Al NMR spectroscopy. Species identified in the alumosols included the Al3+(H2O)6 monomer, the [AlO4Al12(OH)24(H2O)12]7+(Al13) Keggin ion, and the Al30 polycation, [Al30O8(OH)56(H2O)24]18+, as well as various other oligomers or nanoparticles containing IV-, V- and VI-coordinated Al3+ ions.