DIESEL OXIDATION CATALYST WITH ENHANCED HYDROCARBON LIGHT-OFF PROPERTIES

1 . An oxidation catalyst composition for use in a close coupled diesel oxidation catalyst (ccDOC), wherein the oxidation catalyst composition comprises:

a high surface area alumina support material doped with at least one metal oxide; and

a platinum group metal (PGM) supported on the doped alumina support material;

wherein the ccDOC is operative at a space velocity of 100,000 h −1 or greater to light off hydrocarbons at a temperature below about 250° C. in the presence of nitric oxide (NO); and wherein:

the doped high surface area alumina support material is a large pore material having an average pore opening size of at least about 15 nm; and/or

the doped high surface area alumina support material possesses a total acidity greater than 300 μmole per gram.

2 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the doped high surface area alumina support material has a Brönsted acidity greater than 1 μmole per gram.

3 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one metal oxide is an oxide of titanium, silicon, manganese, iron, nickel, zinc, zirconium, tin, or any combination thereof.

4 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one metal oxide is chosen from silica, titania, manganese oxide, and combinations thereof.

5 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one metal oxide is titania.

6 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the oxidation catalyst composition comprises from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the at least one metal oxide, based on the total weight of the oxidation catalyst composition.

7 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the oxidation catalyst composition comprises from about 1% to about 10% by weight of the PGM, based on the total weight of the oxidation catalyst composition.

8 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the PGM is platinum or a mixture of platinum and palladium.

9 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the PGM is a mixture of platinum and palladium having a platinum to palladium ratio by weight of from about 1 to about 10.

10 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the oxidation catalyst composition effectively oxidizes hydrocarbons (HC) in an exhaust gas stream comprising HC and nitrogen oxides (NOx), the exhaust gas stream having a HC to CO ratio of 100 or more.

11 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the high surface area alumina support material has a surface area of at least about 90 m 2 /g.

12 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the high surface area alumina support material has a surface area ranging from about 90 m 2 /g to about 150 m 2 /g.

13 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the high surface area alumina support material is a large pore material having an average pore opening size of at least about 15 nm.

14 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the high surface area alumina support material is a large pore material having an average pore opening size ranging from about 15 nm to about 200 nm, or from about 20 nm to about 50 nm.

15 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the high surface area alumina support material is doped with from about 1% to about 20% titania by weight, based on the weight of the doped high surface area alumina support material.

16 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the high surface area alumina support material is doped with from about 1% to about 10% titania by weight, or from about 3% to about 7% titania by weight, based on the weight of the doped high surface area alumina support material.

17 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 15 , further comprising manganese oxide.

18 . The oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the oxidation catalyst composition comprises from about 1% to about 5% by weight of platinum, palladium, or a mixture thereof, based on the total weight of the oxidation catalyst composition;

wherein the high surface area alumina support material is doped with from about 5% to about 10% titania by weight, based on the weight of the doped high surface area alumina support material; and

wherein the high surface area alumina support material has a surface area ranging from about 90 m 2 /g to about 150 m 2 /g, an average pore opening size of from about 15 nm to about 200 nm, or both

19 . A system for treatment of an exhaust gas stream from an internal combustion engine containing hydrocarbons (HCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NO x ), the system comprising:

a close coupled diesel oxidation catalyst (ccDOC) article located downstream of the internal combustion engine, wherein the ccDOC article comprises a substrate, and the oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , disposed on at least a portion of the substrate;

a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) article located downstream of the engine and adapted for oxidation of HCs, CO and NOx; and

a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) article adapted for the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NO x ), located downstream of the DOC article;

wherein all catalyst articles are in fluid communication with the exhaust gas stream.

20 . A method for reducing HCs and NO x present in an exhaust gas stream from an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

introducing a quantity of HCs into the exhaust stream to form an exhaust gas stream enriched in HCs;

contacting the HC-enriched exhaust gas stream with the oxidation catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the oxidation catalyst composition is disposed on a substrate, and positioned downstream of the internal combustion engine in a close coupled position, to generate an exotherm by combustion of the HCs, thereby forming a heated, first effluent;

contacting the heated, first effluent with a diesel oxidation catalyst adapted for the oxidation of HCs and NO, thereby forming a second effluent with reduced levels of HCs and elevated levels of NO 2 ;

injecting a reductant into the second effluent exiting the diesel oxidation catalyst to obtain a third effluent; and

contacting the third effluent with a SCR catalyst adapted for the reduction of NO x , thereby forming a treated exhaust gas stream with reduced levels of HCs and NO x .