Abstract: | A non‐spinel model for the structure of γ‐Al2O3, with 25 % of the Al3+ cations at tetrahedral positions, has been the subject of wide interest. However, 17O NMR measurements and, more recently, 27Al NMR measurements have shown that there are considerably more Al3+ cations at tetrahedral positions. This means that the Al3+ vacancies in γ‐Al2O3 are not at tetrahedral but at octahedral positions, as in isostructural γ‐Fe2O3 and in accordance with density functional theory predictions. This has consequences with regard to the surface structure of γ‐Al2O3, and thus, for catalysis. |