Alumina catalyst support

Claim 2

AN ALUMINA CATALYST SUPPORT CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ACTIVATED ALUMINA HAVING AN LOI OF ABOUT 1 TO 5 PERCENT, A SURFACE AREA ON THE ORDER OF 200 M2/GM, AND A TOTAL PORE VOLUME OF AT LEAST ABOUT 0.7 ML/GM, WHEREIN A MAJOR PORTION OF THE PORE VOLUME ASSOCIATED WITH PORES LARGER THAN 700 ANGSTROM UNITS IS CONTRIBUTED BY PROES WHICH ARE LARGER THAN 3,000 ANGSTROM UNITS, AND IN WHICH SAID PORES LARGER THAN 700 ANGSTROM UNITS CONTRIBUTE A PORE VOLUME OF AT LEAST ABOUT 0.3 ML.GM.

Claim 3

The product of claim 1 in which approximately 75 percent of the pore volume from pores larger than 700 angstrom units is contributed by pores which are larger than 3,000 angstrom units.

Claim 4

Catalyst support material comprising pellets of activated alumina having an LOI of about 1 to 5 percent, a surface area on the order of 200 m2/gm and a total pore volume of at least about 0.7 ml/gm, including a pore volume of at least about 0.3 ml/gm associated with pores larger than 700 angstrom units of which a major portion is contributed by pores that are larger than 3,000 angstrom units, said pellets having an apparent pellet density of about 0.7-1.0 gm/cc.

Claim 5

Catalyst support material comprising pellets of activated alumina having an LOI of about 1 to 5 percent, a surface area on the order of 200 m2/gm and a total pore volume of at least about 0.7 ml/gm, including a pore volume of at least about 0.3 ml/gm associated with pores larger than 700 angstrom units of which a major portion is contributed by pores that are larger than 3,000 angstrom units, said pellets having an apparent pellet density of about 0.7-1.0 gm/cc.

Claim 6

The material of claim 3, comprising pellets of generally cylindrical configuration having a maximum diameter on the order of 0.100-0.125 inch and an 1/D ratio of about 0.8 to 2; and having a packed bulk density of about 28-35 lbs. per cubic foot.

Claim 7

The material of claim 4 wherein said pellets exhibit not more than about 5 percent shrinkage on a volume basis after heating for 24 hours at about 1,800*F.

Claim 8

The material of claim 5 wherein said pellets are further characterized by resistance to crushing under a load of about 5 to 10 pounds.

Claim 11

The method of claim 7 in which said mixture comprises activated alumina prepared by grinding alumina trihydrate prior to activating the ground material, said grinding being effective to obtain particles the bulk of which are in the size range of about 2 to 10 microns.

Claim 12

The method of claim 7 including calcining said pellets to an LOI of about 1 to 5 percent.

Claim 13

In the art of processing activated alumina to form an article having a macroporous structure, the improvement which comprises shapIng said article from a mixture of activated alumina, from about 2.5 to about 25 parts by weight of a combustible filler material and from about 0.5 to about 5 parts by weight of a temporary binder of inversely soluble cellulose ether for each 100 parts of alumina, treating the shaped mixture to effect rehydration bonding of the alumina, and calcining the bonded article at about 400*-900*C. to an LOI of about 1 to 5 percent; said binder being readily dissolved in cool water (50*C.) yet resisting extraction from the shaped mixture when immersed in hot aqueous solution at substantially the boiling point of water during the rehydration treatment; said calcining being effective to eliminate the binder and filler materials.

Claim 14

In the art of processing activated alumina to form an article having a macroporous structure, the improvement which comprises shapIng said article from a mixture of activated alumina, from about 2.5 to about 25 parts by weight of a combustible filler material and from about 0.5 to about 5 parts by weight of a temporary binder of inversely soluble cellulose ether for each 100 parts of alumina, treating the shaped mixture to effect rehydration bonding of the alumina, and calcining the bonded article at about 400*-900*C. to an LOI of about 1 to 5 percent; said binder being readily dissolved in cool water (50*C.) yet resisting extraction from the shaped mixture when immersed in hot aqueous solution at substantially the boiling point of water during the rehydration treatment; said calcining being effective to eliminate the binder and filler materials.