Cordierite production study

Sankar, G., Wright, P. A., Natarajan, S., Thomas, J. M., Greaves, G. N., Dent, A. J., Dobson, B. R., Ramsdale, C. A., and Jones, R. H. (1993). Combined Quexafs-Xrd a new technique in high-temperature materials chemistry—an illustrative in-situ study of the zinc oxide-enhanced solid-state production of Cordierite from a precursor Zeolite. J. Phys. Chem. 91, 9550-9554. 

Each catalyst was studied by XRD. To improve the intensity of the diffraction lines, the washcoat was scraped off the cordierite before analysis. The XRD spectra show the presence of alumina, ceria and some residual cordierite. The precious metals are never detected, as metal or oxide. For the firesh catalysts, the lines are broad meaning poorly crystallized phases. The resolution is greatly improved after aging. No other phase like cerium aluminate or other transformation product were evidenced on the XRD spectra. 

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