Method for manufacturing titania coated alumina fiber aggregate

A method for manufacturing a titania coated alumina fiber aggregate comprising the steps of:

• forming an aluminum fiber aggregate where a plurality of aluminum fibers made of aluminum and having a fiber length of 5 mm to 20 cm are stored and are pressed in a predetermined mold frame in a state where the aluminum fibers are entangled thus forming an aluminum fiber aggregate having a desired shape where the aluminum fibers are aggregated with density per unit volume of 0.5 g/cm3 to 3 g/cm3;
• forming an alumina fiber aggregate where the aluminum fiber aggregate is heated up to a temperature approximately half of a melting point of the aluminum while maintaining a temperature gradient of approximately 5° C. or less per minute and, thereafter, the alumina fiber aggregate is maintained at a temperature of approximately half of the melting point for 30 minutes to 3 hours so as to form an oxide film having a film thickness of 5 nm or more on the aluminum fibers and, thereafter, the aluminum fiber aggregate is heated up to a temperature close to a melting point thereof and, thereafter, the aluminum fiber aggregate is maintained around the temperature close to the melting point for 30 minutes to 12 hours thus forming the alumina fiber aggregate with the oxide film having a film thickness of 50 nm or more;
• and
• forming a titania coated alumina fiber aggregate where the alumina fiber aggregate is immersed in a sol liquid containing a titania compound, and is pulled up from the sol liquid, and the sol liquid adhered to surfaces of the alumina fibers which constitute the alumina fiber aggregate is dried and, thereafter, the alumina fibers are baked thus forming a titania thin film on the alumina fibers whereby the titania coated alumina fiber aggregate is manufactured.