Aluminium hydroxide, Al(OH)
3, is found in nature as the mineral
gibbsite (also known as hydrargillite) and its three much rarer
polymorphs: bayerite, doyleite and nordstrandite. Closely related are
aluminium oxide hydroxide, AlO(OH), and
aluminium oxide (or alumina), Al
2O
3. These compounds together are the major components of the aluminium
ore bauxite. Freshly precipitated aluminium hydroxide forms
gels, which are the basis for the application of aluminium salts as
flocculants in water purification. This gel crystallizes with time. Aluminium hydroxide gels can be dehydrated (e.g. using water-miscible non-aqueous solvents like
ethanol) to form an amorphous aluminium hydroxide powder, which is readily soluble in acids. Aluminium hydroxide powder which has been heated to an elevated temperature under carefully controlled conditions is known as activated alumina and is used as a
desiccant, as an
adsorbent in gas purification, as a Claus catalyst support for water purification, and as an adsorbent for the catalyst during the manufacture of polyethylene by the Sclairtech process.