The preparation of a catalyst bed with a high surface area through an innovative method of loading gamma -alumina on a substrate prior to hydrolysis of the alumina during the process of preparing an alumina Sol is presented. This method produces a BET surface area of 20.5 m(2)/g, as compared to the 13.5 m(2)/g achieved by conventional coating techniques, and accounts for 50% additional surface area on the substrate and reduced waste of alumina in the washed away Sol. MoO3/Cu-based one-way auto-exhaust catalyst systems were studied using this catalyst bed, which might find potential use as environmental catalysts in pollution control as an economical substitute for noble-metal-based catalysts.