Abstract: A gas or liquid chromatographic column packing material prepared by reacting an activated, i.e., active hydrogen-containing, silica and/or alumina support with a reactive hydrogen-containing partitioning agent. The activated silica and/or alumina support is prepared by reacting a Group III metal hydride (boron, aluminum, gallium or indium hydride) with a hydrated silica and/or alumina (a siliceous or aluminaceous mineral having surface hydroxyl groups or a synthetic siliceous or alumina having surface hydroxyl groups). The support has hydrogen atoms attached to an aluminum, boron, gallium or indium atom which in turn is attached through oxygen to the silica and/or alumina. The hydrogen atoms will react with hydrogen of a hydroxyl, amine, thio, amide, or carbohydrate moieties of organic compounds, as for example, alcohols, polyols, polyglycol ethers, polyglycol amines, polyamines, aliphatic and aromatic amides, alkoxy amides, sugars and the like.

Abstract: A process to improve the corrosion resistance of an aluminum plate deposited on a substrate by the catalytic decomposition of an aluminum hydride. The process preferably involves heating at least the aluminumm plate aluminum a temperature of at least about 50.degree.C. for from about 4 to about 24 hours.