An object of the present invention is to provide a powder of a CeO.sub.2—ZrO.sub.2-based complex oxide which enables to achieve an improvement in the purification performance at a low to middle temperature of an exhaust gas purification catalyst, and, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a powder of a CeO.sub.2—ZrO.sub.2-based complex oxide, wherein a pore volume with from-10-to-100-nm diameters after a heat treatment performed at 1,000° C. for 3 hours in an air atmosphere, is 0.35 mL/g or more, and wherein an amount of carbon dioxide desorbed after the heat treatment, as measured by a temperature programmed desorption method, is 80 μmol/g or more.

An object of the present invention is to provide a powder of a CeO.sub.2—ZrO.sub.2-based complex oxide which enables to achieve an improvement in the purification performance at a low to middle temperature of an exhaust gas purification catalyst, and, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a powder of a CeO.sub.2—ZrO.sub.2-based complex oxide, wherein a pore volume with from-10-to-100-nm diameters after a heat treatment performed at 1,000° C. for 3 hours in an air atmosphere, is 0.35 mL/g or more, and wherein an amount of carbon dioxide desorbed after the heat treatment, as measured by a temperature programmed desorption method, is 80 μmol/g or more.

An ammonia synthesis catalyst, includes a composite oxide carrier in which at least one additive metal element selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and tin (Sn) is solid-solutionized in a composite oxide containing cerium (Ce) and a lanthanide other than Ce and having a composition represented by the following formula:

Ce.sub.xA.sub.1−x−yB.sub.yO.sub.d

(in the formula, A represents a lanthanide other than Ce, B represents the additive metal element, x represents a molar fraction of Ce, y represents a molar fraction of the additive metal element, 1−x−y represents a molar fraction of a lanthanide other than Ce, x and y satisfy 0.1≤x≤0.9, 0.01≤y≤0.3, and 0.11≤x+y≤0.91, d represents a molar ratio of oxygen atoms, and 1.5≤d≤2 is satisfied); and ruthenium (Ru) supported on the composite oxide carrier.

An ammonia synthesis catalyst, includes a composite oxide carrier in which at least one additive metal element selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and tin (Sn) is solid-solutionized in a composite oxide containing cerium (Ce) and a lanthanide other than Ce and having a composition represented by the following formula:

Ce.sub.xA.sub.1−x−yB.sub.yO.sub.d

(in the formula, A represents a lanthanide other than Ce, B represents the additive metal element, x represents a molar fraction of Ce, y represents a molar fraction of the additive metal element, 1−x−y represents a molar fraction of a lanthanide other than Ce, x and y satisfy 0.1≤x≤0.9, 0.01≤y≤0.3, and 0.11≤x+y≤0.91, d represents a molar ratio of oxygen atoms, and 1.5≤d≤2 is satisfied); and ruthenium (Ru) supported on the composite oxide carrier.

This invention provides a catalyst composition characterized in that the catalyst composition comprises one or more rare earth oxophosphorus components.

This invention provides a catalyst composition characterized in that the catalyst composition comprises one or more rare earth oxophosphorus components.

Porous alumina having excellent heat resistance and coking resistance is provided. The porous alumina can include silica and barium oxide added to aluminum oxide, wherein a ratio of SiO2 addition amount to a total mass of aluminum oxide and SiO2 addition amount is defined as SiO2 addition ratio (mass %), a ratio of BaO addition amount to a total mass of aluminum oxide and SiO2 addition amount is defined as BaO addition ratio (mass %), when the SiO2 addition ratio is within a range of 3 mass % or less and the BaO addition ratio is within a range of 14 mass % or less, the silica and the barium oxide are respectively added to the aluminum oxide so that a specific surface area of the porous alumina measured by a measuring method after heat treatment is equal to or larger than a reference specific surface area of reference porous alumina.

Porous alumina having excellent heat resistance and coking resistance is provided. The porous alumina can include silica and barium oxide added to aluminum oxide, wherein a ratio of SiO2 addition amount to a total mass of aluminum oxide and SiO2 addition amount is defined as SiO2 addition ratio (mass %), a ratio of BaO addition amount to a total mass of aluminum oxide and SiO2 addition amount is defined as BaO addition ratio (mass %), when the SiO2 addition ratio is within a range of 3 mass % or less and the BaO addition ratio is within a range of 14 mass % or less, the silica and the barium oxide are respectively added to the aluminum oxide so that a specific surface area of the porous alumina measured by a measuring method after heat treatment is equal to or larger than a reference specific surface area of reference porous alumina.

Catalysts, catalytic materials having catalysts present on supports and catalytic methods are provided. The catalysts, catalytic material and methods are useful in a variety of catalytic reactions, for example, the oxidative coupling of methane.

Catalysts, catalytic materials having catalysts present on supports and catalytic methods are provided. The catalysts, catalytic material and methods are useful in a variety of catalytic reactions, for example, the oxidative coupling of methane.