Abstract

Calcium dialuminate (CaAl₄O₇) powders were synthesised from mechanochemically treated mixtures of aluminium hydroxide + calcium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide + calcium carbonate. On grinding, both mixtures produce X-ray amorphous precursor phases which show ²⁷Al MAS NMR resonances characteristic of Al in octahedral and tetrahedral sites, and a site identified by a resonance at 37–39 ppm (possibly pentahedral Al). Although grinding does not completely destroy the carbonate XRD reflections in the carbonate mixture, both precursors show a high degree of homogeneity and behave similarly on heating, forming monophase CaAl₄O₇ at <1050 °C. By contrast, the same unground compositions form mixtures of α-alumina and various calcium aluminates (but not CaAl₄O₇) on heating as high as 1250 °C. Calcium dialuminate synthesised from the carbonate-containing mechanochemical precursor had a smaller particle size which may be advantageous for subsequent fabrication and sintering.