An exhaust treatment apparatus for treating exhaust gas flowing through an exhaust line housing from an upstream location to a downstream location in a downstream direction, the exhaust treatment apparatus comprising a ceramic filter body having a honeycomb structure of a plurality of intersecting porous ceramic walls extending from a first end to a second end in an axial direction and defining a plurality of channels extending in the axial direction, wherein a first transverse face at the first end comprises metal oxide particles affixed to a portion of the intersecting walls. The metal oxide particles may be affixed to the upstream end, or the downstream end, or both the upstream and downstream ends. Preferably the metal oxide particles provide reinforcement to the underlying portion of the walls, and of the honeycomb structure itself.

An exhaust treatment apparatus for treating exhaust gas flowing through an exhaust line housing from an upstream location to a downstream location in a downstream direction, the exhaust treatment apparatus comprising a ceramic filter body having a honeycomb structure of a plurality of intersecting porous ceramic walls extending from a first end to a second end in an axial direction and defining a plurality of channels extending in the axial direction, wherein a first transverse face at the first end comprises metal oxide particles affixed to a portion of the intersecting walls. The metal oxide particles may be affixed to the upstream end, or the downstream end, or both the upstream and downstream ends. Preferably the metal oxide particles provide reinforcement to the underlying portion of the walls, and of the honeycomb structure itself.

The invention relates to a process for fabricating complex mechanical shapes from metal or ceramic, and in particular to fabricating complex mechanical shapes using a pressure-assisted sintering technique to address problems relating to variations in specimen thickness and tooling, or densification gradients, by 3-D printing of a sacrificial, self-destructing powder mold is created using e.g. alumina and swellable binders such as polysaccharides. The binder-free sintering powder that forms the manufactured item is injected into the mold, and high pressure is applied. The powder assembly can then be sintered by any pressure assisted technique to full densification and the self-destructing mold allows the release of the fully densified complex manufactured item.

The disclosure provides for a mixture suitable for extrusion and firing to form a ceramic honeycomb substrate, said mixture comprising a batch composition selected from the group consisting of a cordierite batch composition and an aluminum titanate batch composition, an optional pore former material; a binder material and water; wherein said binder is a methyl ether of cellulose binder having a count of less than 300 water-insoluble fibers per gram of binder material.

The disclosure provides for a mixture suitable for extrusion and firing to form a ceramic honeycomb substrate, said mixture comprising a batch composition selected from the group consisting of a cordierite batch composition and an aluminum titanate batch composition, an optional pore former material; a binder material and water; wherein said binder is a methyl ether of cellulose binder having a count of less than 300 water-insoluble fibers per gram of binder material.

The disclosure provides for a mixture suitable for extrusion and firing to form a ceramic honeycomb substrate, said mixture comprising a batch composition selected from the group consisting of a cordierite batch composition and an aluminum titanate batch composition, an optional pore former material; a binder material and water; wherein said binder is a methyl ether of cellulose binder having a count of less than 300 water-insoluble fibers per gram of binder material.

A ceramic precursor batch composition comprising inorganic ceramic-forming ingredients, a binder, an aqueous solvent and a heteroatom polyol agent. The heteroatom polyol agent can be represented by X(R) where X is at least one of S, N, and P, and R is at least two of CH.sub.3, CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.2(CHOH)CH.sub.3, C(CH.sub.2OH).sub.1-3, CH.sub.2OH, CH(CH.sub.2OH)CHOH, C(O)(CHOH).sub.1-4CH.sub.2OH, and CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OCH.sub.3. The presence of the heteroatom polyol agent provides a composition with a lower viscosity and/or a greater batch stiffening temperature (T.sub.onset) allowing for increased rates of extrusion. Methods for producing a ceramic honeycomb body using this ceramic precursor batch composition are also provided.

A ceramic precursor batch composition comprising inorganic ceramic-forming ingredients, a binder, an aqueous solvent and a heteroatom polyol agent. The heteroatom polyol agent can be represented by X(R) where X is at least one of S, N, and P, and R is at least two of CH.sub.3, CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.2(CHOH)CH.sub.3, C(CH.sub.2OH).sub.1-3, CH.sub.2OH, CH(CH.sub.2OH)CHOH, C(O)(CHOH).sub.1-4CH.sub.2OH, and CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OCH.sub.3. The presence of the heteroatom polyol agent provides a composition with a lower viscosity and/or a greater batch stiffening temperature (T.sub.onset) allowing for increased rates of extrusion. Methods for producing a ceramic honeycomb body using this ceramic precursor batch composition are also provided.

A ceramic precursor batch composition comprising inorganic ceramic-forming ingredients, a binder, an aqueous solvent and a heteroatom polyol agent. The heteroatom polyol agent can be represented by X(R) where X is at least one of S, N, and P, and R is at least two of CH.sub.3, CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.2(CHOH)CH.sub.3, C(CH.sub.2OH).sub.1-3, CH.sub.2OH, CH(CH.sub.2OH)CHOH, C(O)(CHOH).sub.1-4CH.sub.2OH, and CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2OCH.sub.3. The presence of the heteroatom polyol agent provides a composition with a lower viscosity and/or a greater batch stiffening temperature (T.sub.onset) allowing for increased rates of extrusion. Methods for producing a ceramic honeycomb body using this ceramic precursor batch composition are also provided.

Disclosed herein are methods for preparing a titanate compound powder comprising titanate compound particles having a controlled particle size and/or particle size distribution. The methods include mixing at least one first inorganic compound chosen from sources of a first metal or metal oxide, at least one second inorganic compound chosen from sources of titania, and at least one binder to form a mixture; calcining the mixture to form a polycrystalline material comprising a plurality of titanate compound grains and a plurality of micro-cracks; and breaking the polycrystalline material along at least a portion of the microcracks. Also disclosed are titanate compound powders having a controlled particle size distribution, ceramic batch compositions comprising the powders, and ceramic articles prepared from the batch compositions.