Appeal No. 1998-2228
Application No. 08/523,405
§ 103(a), we find that the examiner has established a prima facie
case of obviousness. We agree with the examiner that an ordinary
artisan would have been motivated to use cerium oxide microdomain
structures and an alumina “host phase,” as taught by Murrell, as
the cerium oxide-aluminum oxide component of the Koberstein
catalyst in order to obtain the advantages suggested by Murrell.
To wit, Murrell suggests that a more stable product (e.g.,
automotive catalyst) would be obtained with maximum surface area.
In particular, see Murrell at pages 548 (first full paragraph),
551 (second and third paragraphs), 552-53 (bridging paragraph),
and 555 (last paragraph).
Appellants’ remarks to the contrary notwithstanding, we note
that Koberstein (col. 1, ll. 21-32 and 42-48) indicates that
automotive catalysts containing cerium oxide do absorb or store
sulfur compounds, e.g., sulfur dioxide, present in the exhaust
gases of internal combustion engines.
In referring to pages 8-10 of their specification,
appellants appear to be of the view that exposure to the
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