Dinitrogen: a selective probe for tri-coordinate Al 'defect' sites on alumina

摘要

Dinitrogen selectively binds to tri-coordinate Al_Ⅲ sites of the (110) termination of γ- and δ-alumina, the "defects" responsible for the low temperature dissociation of methane. Similar observations on η-Al_2O_3 and extra framework aluminium of micro-porous aluminosilicates also suggest the presence of Al_Ⅲ sites on these materials.