Abstract: The Ce-Zr-Al mixed oxides were prepared by sol-gel method with some special procedures. Pd-K/CZA catalysts were characterized by TG-DTA, XRD, H2-TPR, O2-TPD and CO-TPD. The results showed that the activity of Pd-K/CZA catalysts with a small amount of potassium reduced, when it had been recovered with a large amount of potassium. It is shown by the calculation from CO uptake that the dispersion of Pd increased from 14.8% (K/CZA: 0 wt %) to 22.3% (K/CZA: 1.5 wt%), then decreased to 8.6%(K/CZA: 14.6 wt%). The light-off temperatures of the samples increase with increment of amount of potassium, which is due to poison of potassium that weakens SMSI of Pd-Ce. For the sample K-4 with a big amount of potassium (K/CZA: 14.6 wt%), the poison was lightened because the particle size of Pd is beneficial to the three-way reaction.

Key words: potassium, Ce-Zr-Al mixed oxide, TPRs, Pd-Ce interaction