The alumina support was treated in the moderate aqueous hydrothermal condition to avoid from the excess growth of boehmite (AlOOH) crystals which usually results in the obvious decrease of the specific surface area (BET). The experimental results indicated that the hydrothermal treatment of the alumina support at 140 ℃ for 2 hours promoted the formation of the plate-like AlOOH crystallites on the surface of the support via dissolution-precipitation route. The occurrence of the nano plate-like structure led to the improvement in the structural and surface properties, such as the increase of the specific surface area, the surface hydroxyl concentration and the surface acidity.
