Novel catalytic coatings excluding noble metals were deposited employing plasma spray technology in order to avoid uneven distribution of the catalyst in the washcoat and instability of substrate. The copper oxide (5-15 wt.%) supported on alumina were coated on metal substrate and multitubular catalytic monolithic reactors (CMR) were manufactured. The morphology and surface performances of washcoat were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), BET surface area and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results indicated that coatings containing CuO remain stable and keep an excellent adhesion up to 1000 degrees C, and show a high activity in CO oxidation. The CuO/Al2O3 catalyst according to the catalytic properties showed the similar behaviour as coatings containing noble and expensive metals, but the surface area of presented catalytic coatings is noticeably lower. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.