By varying concentration of PEG1000 as a structure-directing agent, mesoporous alumina with excellent textural properties was synthesized. The prepared mesoporous alumina displays high thermal stability, as shown by its textural properties at different calcination temperatures of 600-850 degrees C. Characterization by SEM and TEM revealed that the added PEG surfactant induced the formation of petal-like alumina. XRD results clarified that all samples were amorphous and their peaks were around the peaks of gamma-alumina. N-2 adsorption-desorption analysis showed that the prepared mesoporous alumina, if with PEG1000 in hydrolysis of aluminum isopropoxide, had excellent textural properties with large specific surface area, high pore volume and suitable pore size. The petal-like structure existing in the alumina samples improved their textural parameters, and the role and influential mechanism of PEG1000 were analyzed. (C) 2016 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.