Technical reference

Boehmite properties & identity

Core identifiers and the procurement-relevant material characteristics behind commercial boehmite grades.

Preferred name
Boehmite
Chemical description
Aluminium oxide-hydroxide / aluminium oxyhydroxide
Formula
AlO(OH), often written AlOOH; PubChem molecular formula AlHO₂
CAS
1318-23-6
Molar mass
Approx. 59.99 g/mol
Commercial form
Micron/submicron powder, nano powder and formulated dispersions depending on supplier

Boehmite vs. pseudoboehmite

The names are frequently mixed in marketplace listings, but procurement teams should not assume they are interchangeable. Pseudoboehmite is typically poorly crystalline and is often sold for catalyst, adsorbent and alumina-precursor applications where pore volume and high surface area are central. Battery-grade boehmite is commonly specified around phase purity, controlled particle size, morphology and trace contamination.

For an RFQ, request XRD phase identification plus a complete TDS/COA. Do not purchase solely from a product title containing “boehmite”.

Properties that define a commercial grade

Particle size

D10, D50 and D90 affect film thickness, coating uniformity, porosity, slurry rheology and equipment wear.

Specific surface area

BET surface area influences surface reactivity, binder demand, adsorption and dispersion characteristics.

Crystal morphology

Plate-like, fine or other controlled morphologies can change packing and pore structure in ceramic-coated separators.

Trace impurities

Low sodium, low iron and low magnetic impurities are especially relevant for high-value battery and electronic applications.

Thermal behavior

Boehmite is valued in high-temperature and battery-coating applications because of its thermal stability relative to polymer separator substrates. Commercial literature also emphasizes its lower hardness and density versus alumina for certain coating applications. Exact transformation temperatures and performance depend on grade and test method, so use supplier TDS and application testing for design decisions.

Reference identifiers

PubChem lists Boehmite (Al(OH)O) under CID 73982 and CAS 1318-23-6. This site uses CAS 1318-23-6 as the primary indexing key for the boehmite reference pages.

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