Growth and surface properties of boehmite nanofibers and nanotubes at low temperatures using a hydrothermal synthesis route.

The growth of boehmite nanostructures at low temperature using a soft chemistry route with and without (PEO) surfactant is presented. Remarkably long boehmite 1D nanotubes/nanofibers were formed within a significantly short time by changing the reaction mechanism of aluminum hydroxide. By using the PEO surfactant as a templating agent, boehmite nanotubes up to 170 nm in length with internal and external diameters of 2-5 and 3-7 nm, respectively, were formed at 100 degrees C. A slightly higher temperature (120 degrees C) resulted in the formation of lath-like nanofibers with an average length of 250 nm. Using the cationic surfactant CTAB, nanotubes rather than nanofibers were formed at 120 degrees C. Without surfactant, nanotubes counted for around 20% of the entire sample. A regular interval supply of fresh boehmite precipitate resulted in a larger crystallite size distribution of nanotubes. The morphology of nanotubes was more uniform in samples without the regular addition of aluminum hydroxide. Moreover, for the same hydrothermal time, the final nanotubes for nanomaterials without a regular interval supply of fresh aluminum hydroxide precipitate were longer than those with a regular aluminum hydroxide precipitate supply, which is in contrast to previously published results. Higher Al/PEO concentrations resulted in the formation of shorter nanotubes. A detailed characterization and mechanism are presented.