Catalyst manufacturing method

1. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit for the selective oxidation or reduction of components of exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, which catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit is obtainable by a method comprising an additive layer process, which method comprising the steps of:

(i) forming a layer of at least one of a powdered catalytic material and powdered catalyst support material;

(ii) binding and/or fusing at least one of the powdered catalytic material and powdered catalyst support material in the layer according to a predetermined pattern;

(iii) repeating (i) and (ii) layer upon layer to form a monolith or particle; and

(iv) when the monolith or particle is formed from powdered catalyst support material, applying a catalytic material to the powdered catalyst support material,

wherein the powdered catalytic material or the catalytic material applied to the powdered catalyst support material of the monolith or particle in step (iv) comprises one or more metals or metal compounds containing metals selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Ba, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Sn, Sb, La, Hf, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Pb, and Ce.

2. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein the powdered catalytic material comprises a precious metal catalyst powder, comprising one or more of Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru, or Re.

3. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein the powdered catalytic material comprises a transition metal compound selected from a metal oxide, metal hydroxide, metal carbonate, metal hydroxycarbonate, and mixture thereof.

4. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein the powdered catalytic material comprises one or more inert material.

5. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more inert material is selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, carbon, and mixtures thereof.

6. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein the powdered catalytic material comprises a zeolite.

7. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein the powdered catalyst support material comprises one or more inert material selected from the group consisting of alumina, metal-aluminate, silica, alumino-silicate, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, titania, carbon, zirconia, zinc oxide, and mixtures of any two or more thereof.

8. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 7 , wherein the powdered catalyst support material comprises one or more transition metal compounds selected from a metal oxide, metal hydroxide, metal carbonate, metal hydroxycarbonate, and a mixture of any two or more thereof.

9. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein the powdered catalyst support material comprises a zeolite.

10. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 7 , wherein the catalytic material applied to the powdered catalyst support material in step (iv) comprises at least one of a metal, metal compound, and a zeolite.

11. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the powdered catalytic material and powdered catalyst support material has an average particle size in the range 1 to 200 micrometers.

12. A catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit is a honeycomb monolith.

13. A method of making a catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 , wherein the additive layer process comprises at least one of a 3D printing, a stereolithographic, and a laser sintering technique.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the powdered catalytic material and powdered catalyst support material in each layer is bound together with a binder.

15. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst monolithic or pa shaped unit is subjected to a heating step.

16. A method of catalysing selective oxidation or reduction reactions of internal combustion engine or power station exhaust gases, the method comprising contacting a catalyst monolithic or particulate shaped unit according to claim 1 with the internal combustion engine or power station exhaust gas.