Disclosed is a process for preparing an alumina composition having high
specific surface area and large pore volume, comprising preparing a reaction mixture
having a given molar ratio between a monobasic acid and water by the use of an
aluminum source such as acid-containing alumina obtained by heat treatment of aluminum
hydroxide in the presence of an acid, bayerite, -alumina and -alumina,
optionally adding an oxygen-containing organic compound or an inorganic polybasic
acid as a pore structure controlling agent, performing sol-forming reaction, and
then subjecting the product obtained by the sol-forming reaction to an appropriate
operation such as alkali addition or heat dehydration treatment. Also disclosed
are a catalyst for petroleum refining, a carrier of monolithic type obtained by
monolithic molding, and a molded carrier having a porous structure having pore
size of submicron to several tens micron particless, all of which take advantage
of properties of fibrous boehmite produced by the above process.
