Aluminium Oxide Formula

This article deals with aluminium oxide formula. Aluminium oxide refers to a chemical compound of aluminium and oxygen. Furthermore, it is also known as alumina. Moreover, it happens to be the most commonly occurring of the aluminium oxides. Also, the compound occurs naturally in the polymorphic phase that is crystalline. It is present in some minerals like corundum and bauxite.

What is Aluminium Oxide?

Aluminium oxide happens to be a white amorphous material that is odourless. Due to its various useful properties, the compound has significant contributions in many life-extending and society-welfare applications. Furthermore, the compound is thermally unstable and insoluble. Above all, the compound serves as a starting material for the purpose of an aluminium’s metal smelting.

Derivation of Aluminium Oxide Formula

The formula of Aluminium oxide happens to be \(Al_{2}O_{3}\). Aluminium oxide is an ionic compound. This is because it has a metal and a nonmetal. The metal is certainly the aluminium while oxygen is the non-metal. Furthermore, there are ionic compounds between metals and non-metals. Moreover, there is an exchange of electrons among the two atoms. Also, the metal donates electrons to the non-metal. Consequently, this results in the formation of the ionic bond.

Aluminium tends to form an ion with a charge of +3. Moreover, oxygen forms an ion with a -2 charge always. One important point to understand is that a compound’s overall charge should always be equivalent to zero or neutral. Therefore, one requires two aluminium atoms and 3 oxygen atoms so as to balance out the charge.

Moreover, when the charge gets balanced out, the compound will become neutral. Most noteworthy, this means that aluminium oxide’s formula is \(Al_{2}O_{3}\). This shows two atoms of aluminium for every 3 atoms of oxygen. Corundum happens to be the most common structural form of crystalline aluminium oxide. Furthermore, the structure of corundum assumes a trigonal-like lattice form.

Physical Properties of Aluminium Oxide

First of all, aluminium oxide is an electrical insulator with high thermal conductivity, as far as a ceramic material is concerned. The compound is mostly insoluble in water and occurs mostly in crystalline form. Furthermore, the compound is pretty hard, which makes its usage effective as an abrasive and cutting tools component.

The compound is responsible for the presence of weathering resistance in metallic aluminium. Moreover, metallic aluminium happens to be extremely reactive with atmospheric oxygen. A thin layer of aluminium oxide protects the metal from oxidation and weathering. Also, a process, which goes by the name of anodizing, enhances the properties and thickness of this layer. Furthermore, the aluminium oxide that results from anodizing happens to be amorphous in nature.

There are various discharge assisted oxidation processes which result in a huge portion of the crystalline aluminium oxide in the coating. This certainly enhances its hardness. An example of a discharge assisted oxidation process is plasma electrolytic oxidation.

Chemical Properties of Aluminium Oxide

Aluminium oxide is a compound that is amphoteric. This certainly means that it can react with acids as well as bases. Furthermore, it can as an acid with a base and vice-versa, neutralizing the other. Consequently, this results in the formation of a salt.

\(Al_{2}O_{3}\) + \(6HF\rightarrow 2AIF_{3}+3H_{2}O\)

\(Al_{2}O_{3}\) + \(2NaOH+3H_{2}O\rightarrow 2NaAl(OH)_{4}\)

Uses of Aluminium Oxide

Aluminium oxide has a huge variety of uses in various fields. In the medical industry, due to its hardness, it is useful in prosthetic eye substitutes, bionic implants, and prostheses. Furthermore, its strength and lightweight makes it suitable for preparing body armours, vehicle armour, and bulletproof windows. Moreover, its high boiling and melting points make it very useful to a multitude of industrial and electrical applications.

Solved Question For Aluminium Oxide Formula

Question- What is aluminium oxide and its formula?

Answer- Aluminium oxide happens to be a chemical compound of aluminium and oxygen. Moreover, the formula of Aluminium oxide happens to be \(Al_{2}O_{3}\).