Effect of Nd-doping on the Thermal Stability and Pore-structure of Al2O3 Membranes

Unsupported Nd-doped Al2O3 membranes have been prepared with a sol-gel treatnt by using aluminium isopropoxide and Nd(NO3)3 as the main raw materials. The properties of Nd-doped Al2O3 membranes were characterized by XRD, DTA-TG, IR and N2 adsorption. The effects of Nd-doping on the phase composition, thermal stability as well as applications of pore- structure of Nd-doped Al2O3 membranes at high temperature were discussed. The results show that Nd-doping can raise the transition temperature rom γ-Al2O3 to α-Al2O3, enhance the thermal stability of Al2O3 membranes, and evidently improve the pore-structural parameters of Al2O3 mem- branes applied at higher temperatures.