Flower-like boehmite nanostructure formation in two-steps

Reaction between AlCl₃ and TEA (triethanolamine) gave Al(OH)₃ colloidal nanocrystals that were precursors to nucleation and growth of boehmite under hydrothermal conditions. Transition electron microscopic (TEM) observations revealed that flower-like nanostructures were produced through a binary self-assembly system. In the first stage, nanostrips organize themselves to form a bundle, because of NH₄⁺ and TEA. In the second stage, the bundles form flower-like nanostructures due to the interaction of nitrate with TEA. The size of the nanopetals (length 100–200?nm; width 100–150?nm; and thickness 20–70?nm) was measured through TEM. X-ray diffraction and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET-N₂) results demonstrate that the obtained nanostructures were composed of a pure AlOOH phase with a surface area of 160?m^2?g^?1. The effect of Cl?ˉ on the growth of boehmite 3-D nanoarchitectures in the presence of NO₃ˉ was also investigated.