Active porous alumina coatings were obtained by deposition of boehmite sol on stainless steel (SS) substrate by spray pyrolysis method. The temperature and the doping of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and La3+ in the boehmite sol effects on the textural and structural properties and surface morphology of alumina coatings on stainless steel samples are presented. It was found that the addition of polyethylene glycol combined with La3+ to the boehmite sol before spraying improves the thermal stability of porous alumina coatings. X-ray diffraction patterns of a doped sample, even after 5 h at 1000 degrees C, point out to the presence only of delta-Al2O3, with a S-BET of 74 m(2)/g. XPS data and SEM photographs of coated samples show that alumina were well deposited on the metallic supports. The absence of any lanthanum compounds indicates very well homogeneous dispersion of La3+-ions on the surface of alumina crystallites. AFM images show sphere like alumina grains and agglomerates with surface roughness from 60 to 180 nm, depending on temperature and doping. Surface roughness of doped alumina samples was higher than that of non-doped. It was pointed out that spray pyrolysis method enables preparation of alumina layers with relatively high specific surface area, suitable for applications as catalysts supports. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.