Is there any possibility to remove Aluminum oxide in a batch of Al powder? I mean can any solvent (e.g. NaOH) act as a cleaner of Al oxide but meanwhile the Al itself not been affected?
There is no way to do that. Also you will not get other Al powder without Al2O3, - each Al powder contains more or less oxide (fine-grained powder contains up to 30% Al2O3)
Thank you for your reply. Let me change my question. Actually, I want to use some alcohol during ball milling (i.e. wet milling). I have read that this produces AlOH and, subsequently, Al2O3!! Is there any way to remove (avoid) this product?
During milling in ethanol, aluminum oxidizes almost as much as it does in water. Only during milling in kerosene can oxidation be slowed down. Aluminum is milled in kerosene and inert gas, but some air is added from time to time to get a controlled oxidation. If you grind aluminum completely without oxygen, it will explode after opening the mill in air.
To obtain a clean Al environment. The process of crushing is carried out in vacuum chambers. Then, melting and obtaining a monolithic pure block of Al is performed therein. It is impossible to obtain pure Al under atmospheric conditions. There is always an oxidation of Al2O3.