Pore-impregnated body and method of producing same

A method for producing a pore-impregnated body, the method comprising:

• a) providing a multicellular support having cell walls separating the cells from one another, and pores in the cell walls, and an outer surface, wherein the cell wall porosity is greater than about 45% by volume, and wherein the cell wall porosity incorporates pores having an average pore diameter in the range of 15 to 30 micrometers, the support being made of material selected from the group consisting of ceramic, glass, glass-ceramic, cermet, metal, and combinations thereof;
• b) providing a slurry comprising a liquid and a powdered catalytically active or sorbent material having a particle size smaller than the pore size of the substrate;
• c) contacting the support with the slurry at subatmospheric pressure to fill pores in the porous cell walls with the powdered active material by the steps of
• i) introducing the support and the slurry into a chamber at atmospheric pressure,
• ii) evacuating a portion of the air from the chamber to reach a sub-atmospheric pressure of about 75 to 100 mm of Hg herein,
• iii) immersing the support in the slurry at the subatmospheric pressure to allow a portion of the slurry to enter the pores in the cell walls of the support, and
• iv) introducing air back into the chamber to force the slurry into the pores;
• d) removing the slurry from the outer surface, and the non-pore surfaces of the cell walls;
• and
• e) drying the support to remove the liquid from the slurry therefrom.