The fabrication of mesoporous η-Al2O3 nanofiber with tunable pore size by template-induced strategy

In this work, we prepared mesoporous η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber with tunable pore size using diverse surfactants . The as-prepared mesoporous η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber was characterized by a combination of various physicochemical techniques. The influence of surfactants types and polymerization degree on surface morphology and adsorption performance of mesoporous η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber was compared. The results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), low-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) and N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherm prove the existence of mesoporous structure in η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is favored over polyether (PPG) in the preparation of mesoporous η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber, and PEG with a lower degree of polymerization is beneficial to form well-defined mesoporous structure. The η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber (PEG600) has the highest specific surface area and the best adsorption performance, followed by the η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber (PEG2000), and then the η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber (PPG). Both the adsorption isotherm and the adsorption kinetics equation prove that the adsorption mechanism of methylene blue on mesoporous η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber is the combination of chemical and multilayer adsorption. This work provides a new avenue to prepare mesoporous η-Al 2 O 3 nanofiber with tunable pore size for the application of mesoporous material in battery, adsorbent, catalytic and biomedical carrier.