Abstract: A method of producing a porous composite metal oxide comprising the steps of: dispersing first metal oxide powder, which is an aggregate of primary particles each with a diameter of not larger than 50 nm, in a dispersion medium by use of microbeads each with a diameter of not larger than 150 ?m, thus obtaining first metal oxide particles, which are 1 nm to 50 nm in average particle diameter, and not less than 80% by mass of which are not larger than 75 nm in diameter; dispersing and mixing up, in a dispersion medium, the first metal oxide particles and second metal oxide powder, which is an aggregate of primary particles each with a diameter of not larger than 50 nm, and which is not larger than 200 nm in average particle diameter, thus obtaining a homogeneously-dispersed solution in which the first metal oxide particles and second metal oxide particles are homogeneously dispersed; and drying the homogeneously-dispersed solution, thus obtaining a porous composite metal oxide.

Abstract: This composite oxide powder can secure a large pore volume even after calcination at high temperature and, when a catalyst is formed by loading a noble metal on this composite oxide powder, noble metal grain growth can be suppressed. The composite oxide powder comprises particles of an oxide of a metal M1 and an oxide of a metal M2 which does not dissolve in the oxide of the metal M1, the oxide of the metal M1 and the oxide of the metal M2 being dispersed at the nanometer level. Since different oxides serve as a barrier to each other, sintering is suppressed. Therefore, in the case of composite oxide powder comprising Ce as a metal M1 and Al as a metal M2, grain growth is small even after exposed to high temperature and pores of 3.5-100 nm secure a volume of 0.07 cc/g or more after calcination at 600° C. for 5 hours and a volume of 0.04 cc/g or more after calcination at 800° C. for 5 hours.

Abstract: Disclosed are a porous material comprising particles without substantial fibrous structure and having pores, the pores having a mean pore diameter in a meson-pore region, sharp pore size distribution, and at least a part of the pores being connected three-dimensionally to form a three-dimensional network structure with random passages, the porous material preferably being of alumina and having a spongy structure or the porous material preferably being an aggregate of particles having an aspect ratio of 3 or less; a process of producing the porous material which includes a step of aging a system capable of becoming an oxide on thermal decomposition; a catalyst for exhaust gas purification having excellent NOx removal performance, high resistance against sulfur poisoning, and satisfactory high-temperature durability which comprises the porous material as a carrier having supported thereon a noble metal and an NOx storage component; and a method of exhaust gas purification using the catalyst.

Abstract: A composite oxide includes agglomerated particles which have an average particle diameter of 20 ?m or less, which are composed of a plurality of metallic element oxides being in form of fine particles having an average diameter of 50 nm or less, and which have a surface and an inner portion whose metallic element distributions differ with each other. The characteristics of the respective metallic elements are exhibited maximally. Hence, it is extremely useful as a support for an exhaust gas purifying catalyst. The catalyst exhibits the activities which degrade less even after it is subjected to a sever durability, is good in terms of the heat and sulfur-poisoning resistance, and can efficiently purify the harmful components in exhaust gases. Moreover, it is possible to produce such a composite oxide and catalyst easily and stably by production processes disclosed herein.

Abstract: Composite oxide powder has a large specific surface area and a large pore volume even after a high-temperature durability test, without losing oxygen storage ability of a single metal oxide. In this composite oxide powder, a first metal oxide having oxygen storage ability is held as ultrafine particles in the form of islands by a second metal oxide which is different from the first metal oxide, pore volume is not less than 2 cc/g and the first metal oxide particles have a diameter of not more than 30 nm even after subjected to high temperature of 900° C. or more. Since the first metal oxide particles are held in the form of islands by the second metal oxide particles, separated from each other and suppressed from contacting each other, the first metal oxide particles hardly grow granularly.

Abstract: A practical catalyst exhibiting especially high CO shift reaction activity in a low temperature region where CO is favorably converted to H2 in equilibrium includes a carrier which is composed of titania as a main component, a noble metal which is supported on the carrier, and a sulfur-containing material which adheres to the carrier. The titania carrier to which the sulfur-containing material adheres exhibits high solid acid strength, and accordingly acts to absorb electrons from noble metal so that noble metal becomes partially oxidized. This results in the CO adsorbing ability decreasing to restrain poisoning of noble metal due to CO, whereby the CO shift reaction activity in a low temperature region is improved.

Abstract: A metal oxide which has a large pore volume, and is very useful as a catalyst support. An alkaline material is added to an aqueous solution in which a compound of a metal element for composing an oxide is dissolved, a resultant mixture is co-precipitated, an obtained precipitate is washed, a washed precipitate is stirred in water along with a surfactant, and is calcined. By adding the surfactant after washing, the pH is not changed so that the adding effect of the surfactant is achieved to its upper most limit, thereby obtaining a metal oxide which has a large pore volume and a large mean diameter of secondary particles, and exhibits excellent gas diffusion properties.

Abstract: Disclosed are a porous material comprising particles without substantial fibrous structure and having pores, the pores having a mean pore diameter in a meson-pore region, sharp pore size distribution, and at least a part of the pores being connected three-dimensionally to form a three-dimensional network structure with random passages, the porous material preferably being of alumina and having a spongy structure or the porous material preferably being an aggregate of particles having an aspect ratio of 3 or less; a process of producing the porous material which includes a step of aging a system capable of becoming an oxide on thermal decomposition; a catalyst for exhaust gas purification having excellent NOx removal performance, high resistance against sulfur poisoning, and satisfactory high-temperature durability which comprises the porous material as a carrier having supported thereon a noble metal and an NOx storage component; and a method of exhaust gas purification using the catalyst.

Abstract: A composite oxide includes CeO2, ZrO2 and a metallic oxide being free from reacting with CeO2 and ZrO2 at 700° C. or more, preferably at 900° C. or more and further preferably at 1,000° C. or more. The composite oxide has a regulatory oriented phase, such as a pyrochlore phase, etc., in which at least a part of Ce cations and Zr cations are oriented regularly. The composite oxide makes a catalytic support. The CeO2—ZrO2 composite oxide and the reaction-free metallic oxide make barriers each other which suppress the granular growth when the composite oxide is subjected to high-temperature heat in a reducing heat treatment to form the regulatory oriented phase. The regulatory oriented phase improves the oxygen storage-and-release capability of the catalytic support. Thus, it is possible to simultaneously attain a large a specific surface area and a high oxygen storage-and-release capability.

Abstract: Disclosed are a porous material comprising particles without substantial fibrous structure and having pores, the pores having a mean pore diameter in a meso-pore region, sharp pore size distribution, and at least a part of the pores being connected three-dimensionally to form a three-dimensional network structure with random passages, the porous material preferably being of alumina and having a spongy structure or the porous material preferably being an aggregate of particles having an aspect ratio of 3 or less; a process of producing the porous material which includes a step of aging a system capable of becoming an oxide on thermal decomposition; a catalyst for exhaust gas purification having excellent NOx removal performance, high resistance against sulfur poisoning, and satisfactory high-temperature durability which comprises the porous material as a carrier having supported thereon a noble metal and an NOx storage component; and a method of exhaust gas purification using the catalyst.

Abstract: Composite oxide powder has a large specific surface area and a large pore volume even after a high-temperature durability test, without losing oxygen storage ability of a single metal oxide. In this composite oxide powder, a first metal oxide having oxygen storage ability is held as ultrafine particles in the form of islands by a second metal oxide which is different from the first metal oxide, pore volume is not less than 2 cc/g and the first metal oxide particles have a diameter of not more than 30 nm even after subjected to high temperature of 900° C. or more. Since the first metal oxide particles are held in the form of islands by the second metal oxide particles, separated from each other and suppressed from contacting each other, the first metal oxide particles hardly grow granularly.

Abstract: A practical catalyst exhibiting especially high CO shift reaction activity in a low temperature region where CO is favorably converted to H2 in equilibrium includes a carrier which is composed of titania as a main component, a noble metal which is supported on the carrier, and a sulfur-containing material which adheres to the carrier. The titania carrier to which the sulfur-containing material adheres exhibits high solid acid strength, and accordingly acts to absorb electrons from noble metal so that noble metal becomes partially oxidized. This results in the CO adsorbing ability decreasing to restrain poisoning of noble metal due to CO, whereby the CO shift reaction activity in a low temperature region is improved.

Abstract: A titania-based porous substance includes titania as a principal ingredient, and exhibits an x-ray diffraction peak resulting from lattice planes whose spacing falls in a range of 0.290±0.002 nm. Thus, it includes crystals other than the anatase phase crystal. Therefore, a large number of crystal planes exist therein. As a result, when a catalytic ingredient is loaded on it, the catalytic ingredient is loaded with a lowered rate within the identical crystal plane.

Abstract: This composite oxide powder can secure a large pore volume even after calcination at high temperature and, when a catalyst is formed by loading a noble metal on this composite oxide powder, noble metal grain growth can be suppressed. The composite oxide powder comprises particles of an oxide of a metal M1 and an oxide of a metal M2 which does not dissolve in the oxide of the metal M1, the oxide of the metal M1 and the oxide of the metal M2 being dispersed at the nanometer level. Since different oxides serve as a barrier to each other, sintering is suppressed. Therefore, in the case of composite oxide powder comprising Ce as a metal M1 and Al as a metal M2, grain growth is small even after exposed to high temperature and pores of 3.5-100 nm secure a volume of 0.07 cc/g or more after calcination at 600° C. for 5 hours and a volume of 0.04 cc/g or more after calcination at 800° C. for 5 hours.

Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a titania-zirconia powder having at least a part of the zirconia solid-dissolved in the titania crystalline phase or at least a part of the titania solid-dissolved in the zirconia crystalline phase, (2) a titania-zirconia powder containing 3 to 30 wt % of zirconia and 0.5 to 10 wt % of yttria and containing less than 20 wt %, in total, of at least a complex oxide having a composition of ZrTiO4 or (Ti,Zr) O2, monoclinic phase zirconia, and tetragonal phase zirconia, wherein the titania-zirconia powder comprises an anatase phase, and which retains a specific surface area of 34 m2/g or more after heat-treated at 900° C. for 5 hours in the air, and (3) a titania-zirconia powder wherein the titania-zirconia powder (1) or (2) having an average particle size of 1 &mgr;m or smaller is mutually dispersed with an alumina powder; and processes for producing the powders are disclosed.

Abstract: A composite oxide includes agglomerated particles which have an average particle diameter of 20 &mgr;m or less, which are composed of a plurality of metallic element oxides being in form of fine particles having an average diameter of 50 nm or less, and which have a surface and an inner portion whose metallic element distributions differ with each other. The characteristics of the respective metallic elements are exhibited maximally. Hence, it is extremely useful as a support for an exhaust gas purifying catalyst. The catalyst exhibits the activities which degrade less even after it is subjected to a sever durability, is good in terms of the heat and sulfur-poisoning resistance, and can efficiently purify the harmful components in exhaust gases. Moreover, it is possible to produce such a composite oxide and catalyst easily and stably by production processes disclosed herein.

Abstract: The invention features an MgAl2O4 spinel powder having a specific surface area of 40 m2/g or more and an average diameter of from 3 to 20 &mgr;m and having uniform pores, and a slurry containing this spinel powder. The spinel powder is produced by milling (1) an MgAl2O4 spinel powder obtained by synthesizing by the coprecipitation method with the use of hydroxide materials wherein the ratio of the average diameter of aluminum hydroxide “D1” to the average diameter of magnesium hydroxide “D2” satisfies the requirement 1.85≦(D1/D2) or 0.5>(D1/D2) and calcining, (2) an MgAl2O4 spinel powder obtained by drying a mixture solution containing water-soluble organic substance having a boiling point of 120° C.

Abstract: A solid solution particle of oxides contains a solid solution of oxides in which one oxide is dissolved into the other oxide, and in which the degree of dissolution of one oxide into the other oxide is not less 50%, and in which an average diameter of crystallite is not more than 100 nm. The solid solution particle of oxides has small average diameter of a crystallite and large specific surface area, and it improves capacities such as an oxygen storage ability due to high degree of dissolution. A catalyst for purifying exhaust gases has excellent purifying performance by employing the solid solution comprising ceria and zirconia which has large OSC and high oxygen adsorption and discharge speed.

Abstract: A catalyst for purifying exhaust gases includes a porous support; a cerium oxide or a solid solution of a cerium oxide and a zirconium oxide in a state of mutual solid solution, loaded on the porous support; and a noble metal element loaded on the porous support. The cerium oxide or the solid solution has an average particle diameter of from 5 to 100 nm. The cerium oxide is present in the solid solution in an amount of from 0.2 to 4.0 by molar ratio with respect to the zirconium oxide therein. The catalyst can be prepared by: coating and calcinating on a support substrate a slurry of a cerium oxide sol, a cerium oxide sol and a zirconium oxide sol, on a solid solution powder of a cerium oxide and a zirconium oxide in a state of mutual solid solution; and loading a noble metal element thereon.

Abstract: A method for producing a catalyst having high catalytic activity even at high temperatures of 1200.degree. C. or higher. Fine alumina particles, of which 50% by weight or more have a particle size of 100 nm or less, are mixed with a catalytic component and a substance of inhibiting the sintering of fine alumina particles to form a slurry mixture. This slurry is dried and then calcined to obtain a porous catalyst. The fine alumina particles in the porous catalyst have a large specific surface area even at high temperatures and therefore the porous catalyst maintains its high catalytic activity even at high temperatures of 1200.degree. C. or higher.