A team of researchers at the University of New South Wales has developed a method of producing an aluminium oxide from iron.
Aluminum oxide is a highly reactive form of carbon that can be formed from organic compounds, including aluminium.
This is an example of the process that the team is using to produce aluminium oxide.
They say the method will allow them to produce a product that is more stable than aluminium oxide that they’ve already produced, and also more energy-efficient.
The scientists at the university say their method is able to produce high-strength aluminium oxide for use in applications where high temperature, high pressure and pressure drop-off are required.
“It’s an important step towards the industrialisation of aluminium in the future,” Professor John Deakin from the University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics told ABC News.
“Our approach has some important advantages, particularly the fact that it is easy to control the process,” he said.
The team is also working on a way to produce an aluminium-containing polymer, called a pyrrolidone-2-propeptide (PPP), which has the potential to replace aluminium in certain applications.
“The fact that we are able to achieve a reaction at room temperature and pressure is a major advance,” Professor Deakin said.
“In terms of the durability, it will last many, many years and the amount of material produced will be much higher.”
Professor Deakin and his team are also working to develop a process for producing aluminium oxide in a suitable solvent, using a variety of compounds.
“This is one of the areas where we have some great opportunities in the field,” he added.
The research is published in Nature Chemistry.