Structure
The most common form of crystalline alumina is known as corundum. The oxygen ions nearly form a hexagonal close-packed structure with aluminium ions filling two-thirds of the octahedral interstices. Each Al3+ center is octahedral. In terms of its crystallography, corundum adopts a trigonal Bravais lattice with a space group of R-3c (number 167 in the International Tables). The primitive cell contains two formula units of aluminium oxide.
Alumina also exists in other phases, namely γ-, δ-, η-, θ-, and χ-aluminas. Each has a unique crystal structure and properties. The so-called β-alumina proved to be NaAl11O17.
Read more about this topic: Aluminium Oxide
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—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
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