In this study, a novel precipitation technology was used to synthesize organized mesoporous alumina (OMA) in a rotating packed bed (RPB) by using aluminum nitrate and ammonium carbonate as the reactants and polyethylene glycol 1540 as the template. The properties of the as-prepared OMA were analyzed by BET, XRD and TEM. The effects of the synthesis conditions, surfactant and pore-expanding agent on OMA properties were explored, and the formation mechanism of OMA was discussed. The experimental results indicated that the excellent micromixing capability of the RPB resulted in the formation of OMA with narrow pore size distribution and uniform structure. It was also found that the high-gravity level, liquid flow rate and mixing time had significant effect on the pore structure of OMA. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.