Mesoporous activated powder alumina was synthesised by a surfactant-templating route and the alumina coating layers were deposited successively at 1st time on SiC ceramic foam substrates by an in situ hydrothermal technique. The phase composition, pore structure and surface morphology of activated alumina layers were investigated by XRD, N-2-physisorption, SEM and TEM analysis. The resultant activated alumina layers possess a surface area and a pore volume much higher than that of sol-gel derived-alumina, and the activated alumina layers were deposited successfully on foam substrates after hydrothermal process and heat treatment. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.