CATALYST MANUFACTURING METHOD

1 . A method for producing a catalyst using an additive layer method comprising:

(i) forming a layer of a powdered catalyst or catalyst support material,

(ii) binding or fusing the powder in said layer according to a predetermined pattern,

(iii) repeating (i) and (ii) layer upon layer to form a shaped unit, and

(iv) optionally applying a catalytic material to said shaped unit.

2 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the powdered material is a catalyst powder.

3 . A method according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder comprises a metal powder or a powdered metal compound.

4 . A method according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder 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, or Ce.

5 . A method according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder comprises a precious metal catalyst powder, comprising one or more of Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru or Re.

6 . A method according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder comprises a transition metal compound selected from a metal oxide, metal hydroxide, metal carbonate, metal hydroxycarbonate or mixture thereof.

7 . A method according to claim 6 wherein the transition metal oxide comprises a single or mixed metal oxide or a composition comprising two or more transition metal oxides.

8 . A method according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder further comprises one or more inert materials.

9 . A method according to claim 8 wherein the inert materials are selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, carbon and mixtures thereof.

10 . A method according to claim 2 wherein the catalyst powder comprises a zeolite.

11 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the powdered material is a catalyst support powder and the method comprises applying a catalytic material to said shaped unit.

12 . A method according to claim 11 wherein the catalyst support powder comprises one or more inert materials.

13 . A method according to claim 12 wherein the inert materials are selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, carbon and mixtures thereof.

14 . A method according to claim 11 wherein the catalyst support powder comprises one or more transition metal compounds, including lanthanide metal compounds and actinide metal compounds, selected from one or more metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal carbonates, metal hydroxycarbonates or mixture thereof.

15 . A method according to claim 14 wherein the transition metal compound comprises a single or mixed metal oxide or a composition comprising two or more transition metal oxides.

16 . A method according to claim 12 wherein the catalyst support powder comprises an alumina, metal-aluminate, silica, alumino-silicate, titanic, zirconia, zinc oxide, or a mixture thereof.

17 . A method according to claim 11 wherein the catalyst support powder comprises a metal powder.

18 . A method according to claim 17 wherein the metal powder comprises a precious metal powder or a non-precious metal powder.

19 . A method according to claim 18 wherein the non-precious metal powder comprises a ferritic alloy or steel.

20 . A method according to claim 11 wherein the catalyst support powder comprises a zeolite.

21 . A method according to claim 11 wherein the catalytic material applied to the shaped unit comprises a metal, metal compound or a zeolite.

22 . A method according to claim 21 wherein the metal is applied to the shaped unit by metal vapour deposition.

23 . A method according to claim 21 wherein the metal, metal compound or zeolite is applied to the shaped unit from a solution or dispersion of the metal, metal compound or zeolite.

24 . A method according to claim 22 wherein the metal or metal compound comprises one or more 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, or Ce.

25 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the powdered material has an average particle size, D 50 , in the range 1 to 200 micrometres.

26 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the additive layer method comprises a 3D printing, a stereolithographic or a laser sintering technique.

27 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the powder in each layer is fused by a laser.

28 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the powder in each layer is bound together with a binder.

29 . A method according to claim 28 wherein the binder is an inorganic binder or an organic binder.

30 . A method according to claim 28 wherein a burnout additive is included in the catalyst powder or binder to control the porosity of the resulting shaped unit.

31 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the shaped unit is subjected to a heating step.

32 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the shaped unit, comprising one or more reducible metal compounds, is subjected to a reduction step.

33 . A method according to claim 32 wherein the reducing step is performed by exposing the shaped unit to a hydrogen-containing gas stream at a temperature in the range 150 to 800° C.

34 . A method according to claim 33 wherein the reduced metal in the shaped unit is passivated by controlled exposure of the shaped unit to an oxygen-containing gas stream to form a passivating layer on said reduced metal.

35 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the shaped unit is a wireframe structure or a skeletal framework containing a void space within which may have multiple internal strengthening rods.

36 . A catalyst obtained by the method of claim 1 .

37 . A process using a catalyst according to claim 36 comprising contacting a reactant mixture with the catalyst shaped unit under conditions to effect a catalysed reaction or sorption.

38 . A process according to claim 37 comprising a catalysed reaction selected from hydroprocessing including hydrodesulphurisation, a hydrogenation, steam reforming including pre-reforming, catalytic steam reforming, autothermal reforming and secondary reforming and reforming processes used for the direct reduction of iron, catalytic partial oxidation, a water-gas shift including isothermal-shift, sour shift, low-temperature shift, intermediate temperature shift, medium temperature shift and high temperature shift reactions, a methanation, a hydrocarbon synthesis by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, methanol synthesis, ammonia synthesis, ammonia oxidation and nitrous oxide decomposition reactions, or selective oxidation or reduction reactions of internal combustion engine or power station exhaust gases.

39 . A process according to claim 37 comprising a sorption selected from the recovery of sulphur compounds or heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic from contaminated gaseous or liquid fluid streams, or particulate matter from the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines or power stations.