As known from modern catalytic surface science the nature and quality of the carrier material is a key part of catalysis. Defined properties and consistent quality of the carrier material are pre-requisites for a successful catalyst. This paper will demonstrate the possibilities and flexibility of CONDES's alkoxide technology in terms of manufacturing aluminas, silica-aluminas and other mixed oxides as raw materials for the catalyst industry. The CONDEA group operates two different types of processes for the manufacture of alkoxide derived alumians and related products, the Ziegler-ALFOL process and CONDEA's On-Purpose Process. The Ziegler process is a co-production process of linear fatty alcohols and alumina, using aluminum organic compounds as intermediates, CONDEA's own On-Purpose technology is based on the formation of aluminum alkoxide from aluminum metal and alcohol. In both processes the formation of alumina is achieved by hydrolysis of aluminum alcoholates with water. Al(OR)(3) + (2) H2O --> AlOOH + 3 ROH Alumina from the hydrolysis of alcoholates is typically obtained in the form of boehmite or pseudoboehmite. It is important to mention that both processes give products of equivalent quality. Subsequent processing steps lead to a variety of different alumina products of high purity and defined physical properties such as. beohmite aluminas of different crystallite size, porosity, particle size and peptisation or dispersion behavior or calcined aluminas of different phase compositions (gamma, delta/theta, alpha), porosities, surface areas, particle sizes and attrition resistance. Besides boehmite and boehmite derived calcined alumina phases bayerite and eta alumina can also be produced via this technology. Also accessible is an almost unlimited variety of high purity mixed oxides such as silica aluminas and doped aluminas. Even other catalytic carrier materials for example, MgO can be obtained. A key concept in CONDEA's product development process is the controlled scale-up or new products from laboratory to commercial production. The gap between pilot production and full scale commercial production, typical for the manufacturing industry, is being bridged by a flexible multi-purpose semi-commercial unit of approx. 1200 mt per year capacity, where large scale commercial samples can be manufactured during the developmental stage. This concept reduces scale-up factors to a reasonable ratio and helps to shorten the development of new raw materials for catalytic applications.
