The aqueous synthesis of water soluble carboxylate-alumoxanes,[Al(O)x(OH)y(O2CR)z]n, from inexpensive boehmite allows for the development of an environmentally-benign process for the fabrication of alumina-based ceramics. The carboxylate-alumoxanes are infinitely stable at ambient conditions in solid and solution. Upon thermolysis the carboxylate-alumoxanes are converted to alumina. The physical and spectroscopic properties of the carboxylate-alumoxanes have been determined. We have demonstrated several unique applications of carboxylate- alumoxanes including: formation of controlled porosity ceramics, formation of ceramic aluminates, successful fabrication of interphase layers in FRCMCs, infiltration and densification of porous substrates, formation of a new class of inorganic-organic hybrid materials, synthesis of new heterogeneous catalysts, and the synthesis of supra-molecular alkyl alumoxane co-catalysts for olefin polymerization. The potential environmental impact of the new alumoxane methodology as compared to traditional approaches is discussed.
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