Method of making mesoporous zirconium-based mixed oxides

A method for making mesoporous, zirconium-based mixed oxides, the method comprising:

• preparing a polyvalent metal-containing solution by dissolving in an aqueous medium a combination of water soluble compounds that have zirconium as a metal element and water soluble compounds that have one or more metal elements chosen from the group consisting of cerium, praseodymium, lanthanum, yttrium, neodymium, nickel, copper, cobalt, manganese, niobium, and combinations thereof;
• injecting the polyvalent metal-containing solution into an electrolyte solution to form a mother liquor;
• the electrolyte solution having a pH that exceeds the isoelectric point pH(I) for zirconium-based mixed oxides;
• the injection occurring at pH from pH(I)+2 up to pH(I)+4, wherein the pH(I) is in the range from 7.5 to 8.8;
• forming a precipitate in the mother liquor;
• allowing the precipitate to age in the mother liquor and form the mesoporous, zirconium-based mixed oxides;
• wherein a basic solution is added at a flow rate that allows the pH of the mother liquor to be maintained in the range of 10.0 to 12.0 throughout the entire precipitation process;
• washing the mesoporous, zirconium-based mixed oxides with an aqueous medium;
• drying the mesoporous, zirconium-based mixed oxides;
• and
• collecting the mesoporous, zirconium-based mixed oxides.