Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The high density nucleation of α-Al<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> nanocrystallites was observed by rapid heating of the aluminum formate hydroxide-based precursor powder at 1200 °C for 50 s. The nucleation of α-Al<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> nanocrystallites with less 10 nm in size from high purity aluminum oxide matrix has not been observed to our knowledge. Based on the results of XRD and TEM, α-Al<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> nanocrystallites nucleated from the amorphous phase which formed after thermal decomposition of the precursor powder. Subsequently, α-Al<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> with hollow rod-like morphology formed through coalescence and growth of nanocrystallites after heating at 1200 °C for 1 min. The results obtained in this paper indicates a possible beneficial effect of the rapid heating and cooling of the aluminum formate hydroxide-based precursor powder on the precipitation of α-Al<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> nanocrystallites.</jats:p>