Attrition resistant catalysts, catalyst precursors and catalyst supports and process for preparing same

Process for the production of attrition resistant catalyst or catalyst support particles have an oxide-rich surface layer, the process comprising:

• (a) forming a slurry comprised of catalyst, catalyst precursor or catalyst support particles dispersed in a solution of a solute which consists essentially of said oxide precursor of particle size no greater than 5 nm, the relative amounts of the particles and oxide prcursor chosen so that the weight of the oxide formed steps (b) and/or (c) is about 3-15% of the total weight of the particles and the oxide formed;
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• (b) spray drying the slurry to form porous microspheres of attrition spheres of attrition resistant catalyst, catalyst precursor or catalyst support particles;
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• (c) calcining the spray dried microspheres at an elevated temperature which is below the temperature which is substantially deleterious to the catalyst or catalyst support, to produce attrition resistant catalyst or catalyst support particles having said oxide-rich surface layer.