General Description
Synonyms: Activated alumina; activated aluminum oxide; alpha aluminum oxide; alumina; alumina, calcined; alumina, tabular; aluminum oxide alumite; aluminum trioxide; gamma aluminum oxide.
Description: Aluminum oxide occurs as a white crystalline powder. Aluminum oxide occurs as two crystalline forms: a-aluminum oxide is composed of colorless hexagonal crystals, and g-aluminum oxide is composed of minute colorless cubic crystals that are transformed to the a-form at high temperatures.
Chemical Name: Aluminum oxide
Uses
- Aluminum oxide is used mainly in tablet formulations.
- It is used for decoloring powders and is particularly widely used in antibiotic formulations.
- It is also used in suppositories, pessaries, and urethral inserts.
- Hydrated aluminum oxide is used in mordant dyeing to make lake pigments, in cosmetics, and therapeutically as an antacid.
Incompatibilities
Aluminum oxide should be kept well away from water. It is incompatible with strong oxidizers and chlorinated rubber. Aluminum oxide also reacts with chlorine trifluoride, ethylene oxide, sodium nitrate, and vinyl acetate. Exothermic reactions above 2008C with halocarbon vapors produce toxic hydrogen chloride and phosgene fumes
Safety
Aluminum oxide is generally regarded as relatively nontoxic and nonirritant when used as an excipient. Inhalation of finely divided particles may cause lung damage (Shaver’s disease)
Handling Precautions
Observe normal precautions appropriate to the circumstances and quantity of the material handled