Three-way conversion catalyst composition comprising platinum-rhodium bimetallic components

1 . A catalyst composition comprising:

a) platinum;

b) rhodium; and

c) a ceria-alumina composite and a zirconia composite, wherein platinum is supported on the ceria-alumina composite, zirconia composite or both in an amount of 0.1 to 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the ceria-alumina composite and zirconia composite, wherein rhodium is supported on the ceria-alumina composite, zirconia composite or both in an amount of 0.1 to 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the ceria-alumina composite and zirconia composite, wherein CeO 2 in the ceria-alumina composite is 1.0 to 50 wt. %, based on the total weight of the ceria-alumina composite, wherein the amount of ZrO 2 in the zirconia composite is 50 to 99 wt. %, based on the total weight of the zirconia composite.

2 . The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the total amount of the ceria-alumina composite and zirconia composite in the catalyst composition is 10 to 90 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst composition.

3 . The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of CeO 2 in the zirconia composite is <0.001 wt. %, based on the total weight of the zirconia composite.

4 . The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein platinum is supported on the ceria-alumina composite and rhodium is supported on the zirconia composite, or wherein platinum is supported on the zirconia composite and rhodium is supported on the ceria-alumina composite, or wherein platinum and rhodium are supported on both the ceria-alumina composite and the zirconia composite.

5 . The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the weight proportion of the ceria-alumina composite to the zirconia composite is 1:4 to 4:1.

6 . The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the zirconia composite comprises 85 wt. % or more ZrO 2 and 15 wt. % or less rare-earth metal(s) in oxide form, based on the total weight of the zirconia composite, wherein the rare-earth metal in oxidic form is selected from lanthanum, praseodymium, yttrium, neodymium, and any combination thereof.

7 . The catalyst composition according to claim 6 , wherein the zirconia composite comprises 85 to 95 wt. % of ZrO 2 and 5.0 to 15 wt. % of lanthana, based on the total weight of the zirconia composite.

8 . The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of CeO 2 in ceria-alumina composite is 5.0 to 50 wt. %, 15 to 35 wt. %, or 20 to 30 wt. %, based on the total weight of the ceria-alumina composite.

9 . The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the average particle size of ceria in the ceria-alumina composite is less than 20 nm, as measured by transmission electron microscopy.

10 . A process for preparing the catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the process comprises:

impregnating platinum on a ceria-alumina composite, a zirconia composite or a mixture thereof to obtain a first mixture;

impregnating rhodium on a ceria-alumina composite, a zirconia composite or mixture thereof to obtain a second mixture; and

mixing the first mixture and the second mixture together to obtain the catalyst composition.

11 . A process for preparing the catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the process comprises sequential impregnation of rhodium and platinum on a mixture of a ceria-alumina composite and a zirconia composite to obtain the catalyst composition.

12 . A catalytic article comprising the catalyst composition according to claim 1 , deposited on a substrate.

13 . The catalytic article according to claim 12 , wherein the catalytic article is a single layered catalytic article and has hydrothermal stability at an aging temperature of in the range of 950° C. to 1050° C.

14 . The catalytic article according to claim 12 , wherein the catalytic article is a bi-layered article comprising a) a first layer, b) a second layer, and c) a substrate, wherein the first layer comprises platinum supported on a ceria-alumina composite, a zirconia composite or a mixture thereof, wherein the second layer comprises rhodium supported on a ceria-alumina composite, a zirconia composite or a mixture thereof, wherein the first layer is deposited at least partly on the substrate and the second layer is deposited at least partly on the first layer, wherein the amount of CeO 2 in the ceria-alumina composite is 5.0 to 50 wt. %, based on the total weight of the ceria-alumina composite, wherein the amount of ZrO 2 in the zirconia composite is 50 to 99 wt. %, based on the total weight of the zirconia composite, wherein the amount of platinum in the first layer is 0.3 to 5.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the first layer, wherein the amount of rhodium in the second layer is 0.1 to 1.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the second layer.

15 . The catalytic article according to claim 12 , wherein the catalytic article is a bi-layered article comprising a) a first layer, b) a second layer, and c) a substrate, wherein the first layer comprises rhodium supported on a ceria-alumina composite, a zirconia composite or a mixture thereof, wherein the second layer comprises platinum supported on a ceria-alumina composite, a zirconia composite or a mixture thereof, wherein the first layer is deposited at least partly on the substrate and the second layer is deposited at least partly on the first layer, wherein the amount of CeO 2 in the ceria-alumina composite is 5.0 to 50 wt. %, based on the total weight of the ceria-alumina composite, wherein the amount of ZrO 2 in the zirconia composite is 50 to 99 wt. %, based on the total weight of the zirconia composite, wherein the amount of platinum in the second layer is 0.3 to 5.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the second layer, wherein the amount of rhodium in the first layer is 0.1 to 1.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the first layer.

16 . The catalytic article according to claim 12 , wherein the catalytic article has a zoned configuration comprising a first zone and second zone.

17 . The catalytic article according to claim 12 , wherein the catalytic article further comprises an oxygen storage component, the oxygen storage component comprises ceria-zirconia, ceria-zirconia-lanthana, ceria-zirconia-yttria, ceria-zirconia-lanthana-yttria, ceria-zirconia-neodymia, ceria-zirconia-praseodymia, ceria-zirconia-lanthana-neodymia, ceria-zirconia-lanthana-praseodymia, ceria-zirconia-lanthana-neodymia-praseodymia, or any combination thereof.

18 . A process for preparation of the catalytic article according to claim 12 , wherein said process comprises:

preparing a slurry comprising platinum supported on a ceria alumina composite, a zirconia composite or a mixture thereof and rhodium supported on ceria-alumina composite, zirconia composite or a mixture thereof,

depositing the slurry on a substrate to obtain a catalytic article followed by calcination at a temperature ranging from 400 to 700° C., wherein the step of preparing the slurry comprises a technique selected from incipient wetness impregnation, incipient wetness co-impregnation, and post-addition.

19 . A process for the preparation of the catalytic article according to claim 12 , wherein said process comprises:

preparing a slurry comprising platinum and rhodium supported on a mixture of a ceria-alumina composite and a zirconia composite;

depositing the slurry on a substrate to obtain a catalytic article followed by calcination at a temperature ranging from 400 to 700° C., wherein the step of preparing the slurry comprises a technique selected from incipient wetness impregnation, incipient wetness co-impregnation, and post-addition.

20 . An exhaust gas treatment system for internal combustion engines, said system comprising the catalytic article according to claim 12 .

21 . A method of reducing hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide levels in a gaseous exhaust stream, the method comprising contacting the gaseous exhaust stream with the catalytic article according to claim 12 .