Patent ID: 8883675

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a catalyst useful for the vapor phase production of ethylene oxide from ethylene and oxygen comprising: providing a catalyst precursor comprising an inert support having a catalytically effective amount of a silver containing compound, a promoting amount of an alkali metal containing compound, and a promoting amount of a transition metal containing compound disposed thereon; calcining the catalyst precursor in a first inert gas atmosphere and at a calcination temperature to convert the silver in the silver containing compound to catalytically active metallic silver, to remove volatile components from the inert support of said catalyst precursor, and to form a catalyst; cooling the catalyst to a temperature below the calcination temperature; curing the catalyst produced by said calcining in a second inert gas atmosphere and at a curing temperature of about 250° C. to about 600° C. for a period of about 1 hour to 200 hours to provide a cured catalyst; and charging said cured catalyst into reactor tubes of an epoxidation reactor.