Method for catalyst coating of a substrate

1. A method for applying a catalyst composition to the interior of a hollow substrate comprising:

coating the interior of a hollow substrate with a catalytic composition by partially immersing an end of the substrate into a vessel containing a bath of coating slurry containing a precious metal component and applying a vacuum to the partially immersed substrate at an intensity and time sufficient to draw the coating slurry upwardly from the bath into the interior of the hollow substrate;

rotating the substrate 180°; and

then applying a blast of air to the end of the substrate which had been immersed into the slurry to distribute the catalytic composition therewithin.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising loading the substrate into an inflatable bladder clamp.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the substrate is loaded into the inflatable bladder clamp by a robot.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising drying the substrate.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the air blast is supplied for a duration ranging from about 0.3 to about 0.5 seconds.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising weighing the substrate.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising repeating the method recited in claim 6 on a plurality of substrates, wherein the weight gain variability between coated substrates is about 2.6%.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the precious metal component is evenly distributed throughout the substrate.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the substrate exhibits a precious metal gradient less than about 5%.

10. A method for applying a catalyst composition to an interior of a hollow substrate comprising:

coating a substrate with a catalyst composition by partially immersing an end of the substrate into a vessel containing a bath of coating slurry containing a precious metal and applying a vacuum to the partially immersed substrate at an intensity and time sufficient to draw the coating slurry upwardly from the bath into each of a plurality of channels located in the interior of the hollow substrate;

removing the substrate from the bath;

rotating the substrate 180°; and

then applying a blast of pressurized air to the end of the substrate which had been immersed into the slurry at an intensity and time sufficient to distribute the coating slurry within the channels of the substrate to form a uniform coating profile therein.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 , wherein after the substrate has been removed from the bath, a vacuum is applied to the substrate.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the intensity of the vacuum applied after the substrate has been removed from the bath is at least equal to the intensity of the vacuum applied to the substrate while immersed in the bath.

13. A method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the air blast is applied at an air blast station which comprises an upper hood, a receiving hood and an air supply operatively connected to the upper hood.

14. A method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the duration of the air blast ranges from about 0.3 to about 0.5 seconds.

15. A method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the air blast is pressurized between about 20 to about 50 psi.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising repeating the method recited in claim 15 on a plurality of substrates, wherein the weight gain variability between coated substrates is about 2.6%.

17. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the precious metal component is evenly distributed throughout the substrate.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the substrate exhibits a precious metal gradient less than about 5%.