Towards Highly Loaded and Finely Dispersed CuO Catalysts via ADP: Effect of the Alumina Support

To meet current economic demands enforcing the replacement of platinum-group metals, extensively used in three-way-catalytic converters (TWC), research is driven towards low-cost and widely available base metals. However, to cope with their lower activity, high metal loadings must be coupled increased dispersion. Herein, a series CuO/Al2O3 samples produced effect different alumina supports’ properties on CuO dispersion, speciation eventually TWC performance studied. The are synthesized via methods, including soft-templating routes flame spray pyrolysis, compared commercial one, while as catalytic active phase added through ammonia-driven deposition–precipitation. As found, large surface area low crystallinity aluminas by favor strong metal–support interaction, generating highly dispersed strongly bonded species at loading copper-aluminate phases loading. Notably, use amorphous mesoporous completely prevents formation crystalline even 15 wt% Cu. Such dispersion capacity without application elevated calcination temperatures one best reported for nonreducible supports. Catalytic evaluation this material reveals pronounced enhancement oxidation activity increase.