Prof. Thomas Orlando is currently a professor in the Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and an adjunct professor in the GIT School of Physics. He serves as director of the GIT Center for Space Technology and Research and as principal investigator (PI) of the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute Center on Radiation Effects on Volatiles and Exploration of Asteroids and Lunar Surfaces (REVEALS). Prof. Carol Paty and Dr. Esther Beltran are deputy PIs, and Dr. Brant Jones and Prof. Stephen Robinson are science theme leaders. Orlando, Jones, Paty, and Schaible focus on understanding radiation effects on the regolith and the solar-wind formation of volatiles. Profs. Valeria La Saponara, John Reynolds, and Robinson focus on mitigating health risks by developing nanocomposites for spacesuits and habitats. Prof. Phillip First explores 2D materials for radiation detection. Collectively, the efforts will help facilitate future human exploration of near-Earth destinations.

Boehmite (γ-AlOOH) and gibbsite (α-Al-(OH)₃) are important archetype (oxy)hydroxides of aluminum in nature that also play diverse roles across a plethora of industrial applications. Developing the ability to understand and predict the properties and characteristics of these materials, on the basis of their natural growth or synthesis pathways, is an important fundamental science enterprise with wide-ranging impacts. The present study describes bulk and surface characteristics of these novel materials in comprehensive detail, using a collectively sophisticated set of experimental capabilities, including a range of conventional laboratory solids analyses and national user facility analyses such as synchrotron X-ray absorption and scattering spectroscopies as well as small-angle neutron scattering. Their thermal stability is investigated using in situ temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy. These pure and effectively defect-free materials are ideal for synthesis of advanced alumina products.