What Are Aluminas?
Aluminas are a family of aluminum oxides (Al2O3)
that can take many forms. As a general term, “alumina” refers
to the lower temperature transition alumina forms. The most common
use for aluminas is in the manufacturing of aluminum, a metal commonly
used in beverage cans, automobiles, and many other applications where
a lightweight, durable metal is required. UOP manufactures and markets
two unique aluminas for use as adsorbents and catalysts, as well as
numerous other applications.
Activated aluminas are both high surface area beads and crushed products that
are “activated” by a proprietary process to achieve specific surface
chemistry and reactivity. Commonly used as adsorbents, desiccants and catalysts,
the chemistry, size and structure of these aluminas are tailored to specific
applications at UOP’s ISO 9001:2000 certified plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Additives are also commonly used with activated aluminas to achieve even greater
performance in certain markets.
Versal aluminas are a family of high purity alumina powders available
in a variety of rheological and physical forms. They are used primarily as
catalyst supports, washcoat slurries, and binders. Their many forms and uses
have led us to name this versatile group of alumina products “VERSAL.”
The forerunner of the Versal alumina line was the “gel” alumina,
a name which referred to the colloidal state of the powders. Through our ongoing
alumina development, UOP has expanded this array to include pseudoboehmite,
gamma and bayerite aluminas, all with varying densities and dispersibility
ranges. In addition to being a key component in many commonly used catalysts,
UOP’s Versal aluminas are also used as adsorbents. They also play key
roles in the polishing, abrasives and surface coatings industries.
To find out what our aluminas can do for your company, contact us today using our information request form,
or call one of our local sales offices.
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