The noble metals (Rh, Pd) supported on alumina promoted with Ce-Zr mixed oxides were investigated as catalysts under diverse oxidants/reductants ratios of simulated automotive exhaust feed gas. Aging test was performed in air at 1000 degreesC for 20 h. Both fresh and aged catalysts, as well as alumina-supported Ce-Zr mixed powders, were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results confirmed the oxygen storage capacity of Ce-Zr mixed oxides favored CO, C3H8 and NO conversions in stationary versus dynamic stoichiometric operation. The accelerated aging of the systems produced inconspicuous effect on the phase structure, specific surface area and chemical state of these samples. Accordingly, the aged samples still showed low light-off temperature and broad lambda-window, which suggested the relative low relevance of the thermal degradation on the overall catalytic performance of the system. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.