TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Method: The method further comprises isolating alpha-AlH3 from the acidic solution.Step (f) contains an alpha-AlH3 stabilizing agent.The method further includes, after step (b) and prior to step (d), adding an additional alkali metal hydride to the reaction mixture and/or the diethyl ether-toluene solution, followed by a further filtration step, the alkali metal hydride may or may not be the same as the alkali metal hydride of step (a).Preferred Solution: The alpha-AlH3 stabilizing agent comprise a compound that coordinates to the Al3+ ion.The alkali metal hydride is LiAlH4, preferably LiBH4.The molar ratio of the alkali metal hydride to AlCl3 in step (a) in 3:1 to 4.5:1.The acidic solution is HCl solution, preferably 5 - 15% w/w HCl.The alpha-AlH3 stabilizing agent is aluminon.The stabilizing agent is 8-hydroxyquinoline, preferably catechol.The alpha-AlH3 stabilizing agent is an electron donor or an electron acceptor selected from tetrachlorobenzoquinone, diphenylamine, tetracyanoethylene, 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, tetrathiavalene and tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene. EXAMPLE - A mixture of ether (600 ml) and 1M ether solution of AlCl3 (35 ml) was purged with argon. Solid LiAlH4 (6.7 g) was then added over a period of 15 minutes and 1M LiBH4 (45 ml) in ether solution was then added and the reaction stirred for a further 30 minutes at room temperature and then filtered to remove lithium chloride.    The filtrate was transferred to a flask containing a diethyl ether solution of 50 mole% sodium borohydride. Toluene (2.5 ml) was added, stirred, filtered and the diethyl ether removed by distillation while heating to 60 degreesC until only about 7% ether was left in the reaction flask. The reaction flask was then heated at 82-85 degreesC for about 2 hours and then at 90-93 degreesC for 30 minutes. During heating, while crystalline particles formed that grew in size during the heating period. White crystalline product was collected by filtration, washed with diethyl ether and dried under reduced pressure to give alane.