Catalysts and process for the preparation thereof

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE MAUNUFACTURE OF SILICA-ALUMINA CATALYSTS, WHICH COMPRISES ADDING TO A SODIUM SILICATE SOLUTION HAVING DISPERSED THEREIN KAOLINMITIC CLAY HAVING A HEXAGONAL CRYSTAL STRUCTURE IN THE FORM OF THIN PLATES, SAID CLAY HAVING AT LEAST 10% BY WEIGHT OF PARTICLES OF ONE MICRON OR LESS WITH A MAJOR PORTION OF THE PARTICLE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN THE RANGE OF 0.1 MICRON TO 20 MICRONS AS THE LARGEST DIMENSION DISPERSED THEREIN, SULFURIC ACID IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO GEL THE SILICATE, ADDING TO THE GELLED MIXTURE BOTH ALUMINUM SULFATE AND SODIUM ALUMINATE, FILTERING THE RESULTING SLURRY, AND SPRAY DRYING THE FILTER CAKE INTO MICROSPHERICAL PARATICLES HAVING AN AVERAGE DIAMETER IN THE RANGE OF 20-120 MICRONS, THE CLAY CONSTITUTING 20% TO 75% BY WEIGHT OF THE SOLIDS IN THE DRIED CATALYST AND THE QUANTITY OF SILICA HYDROGEL ON A DRY BASIS BEING WITHIN THE RANGE OF 55-95% BY WEIGHT OF THE TOTAL HYDROGEL CONTENT OF THE CATALYST AND THE QUANTITY OF ALUMINA HYDROGEL ON A DRY BASIS BEING WITHIN THE RANGE OF 45-5% BY WEIGHT OF THE TOTAL HYDROGEL.