Magnesium Elektron, Inc.

Rhodia Operations

Heather Bradshaw

Emmanuel Rohart

Olivier Larcher

Guillaume Criniere

Stephan Verdier

Deborah Jayne Harris

Colin Norman

Hazel Stephenson

Clive Butler

Mairead Feeley

Jan Kaspar

Roberta Di Monte

The present invention relates to oxygen storage components for catalytic converters for automobile exhaust systems, particularly for those with petrol-driven engines. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a ceria containing mixed oxide suitable as an oxygen storage material having a ceria content in the range 10 to 80% by weight and at least one metal oxide in an amount of less than 0.5% by weight, wherein the metal is selected from the first row transition elements and the group IVB elements of the periodic table. The inventions also provides an oxygen storage material for catalytic converters for automobile exhaust systems comprising an oxide of the present invention.

Oxygen storage component

This invention relates to an improved amorphous zirconium hydroxide and a method for its production. The hydroxide has a surface area of at least 300 m/g, a total pore volume of at least 0.70 cm/g and an average pore size of between 5 nm and 15 nm, and is prepared by a process which comprises the steps of: a) preparing an aqueous solution comprising sulphate anions and a zirconium salt such that the ZrO:SOratio is 1:0.40 to 1:0.52, (b) chilling the solution to below 25&#xb0; C., (c) adding an alkali in order to precipitate the amorphous zirconium hydroxide, (d) filtering and washing the precipitated zirconium hydroxide with water or an alkali to remove residual sulphate and chloride, (e) hydrothermally treating the zirconium hydroxide at a pressure of less than 3 barg, and (f) drying the zirconium hydroxide. The zirconium hydroxide of the present invention, which can be doped, is particularly useful in catalytic applications.

Zirconium hydroxide

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Swinton, United Kingdom

Heather Bradshaw