A precursor mixture for producing a porous body, wherein the precursor mixture comprises: (i) at least one milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 6 microns, (ii) non-silicate powder that functions as a binder of the alpha alumina powders, and (iii) at least one burnout material having a particle size of 1-10 microns and a decomposition temperature of less than 550° C., with the proviso that a burnout material having a decomposition temperature of 550° C. or greater is excluded from the precursor mixture.

A precursor mixture for producing a porous body, wherein the precursor mixture comprises: (i) at least one milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 6 microns, (ii) non-silicate powder that functions as a binder of the alpha alumina powders, and (iii) at least one burnout material having a particle size of 1-10 microns and a decomposition temperature of less than 550° C., with the proviso that a burnout material having a decomposition temperature of 550° C. or greater is excluded from the precursor mixture.

A ceramic filter having a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure, wherein when observing a plurality of pores from a surface of partition walls with a laser microscope and plotting an equivalent circle diameter (μm) of each pore on an X-axis and a pore depth (μm) of each pore on a Y-axis on a two-dimensional coordinate system, a slope of a regression line (y/x) obtained by a least squares method in a range of 20≤x≤40 is 0 to 0.20, an average value of the pore depth of the plurality of pores is 2.5 μm to 5.0 μm, and a number density of the plurality of pores is 600/mm.sup.2 to 2450/mm.sup.2.

A ceramic filter having a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure, wherein when observing a plurality of pores from a surface of partition walls with a laser microscope and plotting an equivalent circle diameter (μm) of each pore on an X-axis and a pore depth (μm) of each pore on a Y-axis on a two-dimensional coordinate system, a slope of a regression line (y/x) obtained by a least squares method in a range of 20≤x≤40 is 0 to 0.20, an average value of the pore depth of the plurality of pores is 2.5 μm to 5.0 μm, and a number density of the plurality of pores is 600/mm.sup.2 to 2450/mm.sup.2.

A ceramic mixture paste includes oxide ceramic particles, burn-off particles, and a firing aid. The burn-off particles are burned off at a temperature lower than the firing temperature of the oxide ceramic particles. The firing aid melts at a temperature lower than the firing temperature. The ratio of the volume of the burn-off particles to the volume of the oxide ceramic particles is more than 0% and less than or equal to 20%.

A ceramic mixture paste includes oxide ceramic particles, burn-off particles, and a firing aid. The burn-off particles are burned off at a temperature lower than the firing temperature of the oxide ceramic particles. The firing aid melts at a temperature lower than the firing temperature. The ratio of the volume of the burn-off particles to the volume of the oxide ceramic particles is more than 0% and less than or equal to 20%.

A process for producing a porous alpha-alumina catalyst support, comprising i) preparing a precursor material comprising, based on inorganic solids content, at least 50 wt.-% of a transition alumina having a loose bulk density of at most 600 g/L, a pore volume of at least 0.6 mL/g and a median pore diameter of at least 15 nm; and at most 30 wt.-% of an alumina hydrate; ii) forming the precursor material into shaped bodies; and iii) calcining the shaped bodies to obtain the porous alpha-alumina catalyst support. The catalyst support has a high overall pore volume, thus allowing for impregnation with a high amount of silver, while keeping its surface area sufficiently large so as to provide optimal dispersion of catalytically active species, in particular metal species. The invention further relates to a shaped catalyst body for producing ethylene oxide by gas-phase oxidation of ethylene, comprising at least 15 wt.-% of silver, relative to the total weight of the catalyst, deposited on a porous alpha-alumina catalyst support obtained in the process described above. The invention also relates to a process for preparing a shaped catalyst body as described above comprising impregnating a porous alpha-alumina catalyst support obtained in the process described above with a silver impregnation solution, preferably under reduced pressure; and optionally subjecting the impregnated porous alumina support to drying; and b) subjecting the impregnated porous alpha-alumina support to a heat treatment; wherein steps a) and b) are optionally repeated. The invention further relates to a process for producing ethylene oxide by gas-phase oxidation of ethylene, comprising reacting ethylene and oxygen in the presence of a shaped catalyst body as described above.

A process for producing a porous alpha-alumina catalyst support, comprising i) preparing a precursor material comprising, based on inorganic solids content, at least 50 wt.-% of a transition alumina having a loose bulk density of at most 600 g/L, a pore volume of at least 0.6 mL/g and a median pore diameter of at least 15 nm; and at most 30 wt.-% of an alumina hydrate; ii) forming the precursor material into shaped bodies; and iii) calcining the shaped bodies to obtain the porous alpha-alumina catalyst support. The catalyst support has a high overall pore volume, thus allowing for impregnation with a high amount of silver, while keeping its surface area sufficiently large so as to provide optimal dispersion of catalytically active species, in particular metal species. The invention further relates to a shaped catalyst body for producing ethylene oxide by gas-phase oxidation of ethylene, comprising at least 15 wt.-% of silver, relative to the total weight of the catalyst, deposited on a porous alpha-alumina catalyst support obtained in the process described above. The invention also relates to a process for preparing a shaped catalyst body as described above comprising impregnating a porous alpha-alumina catalyst support obtained in the process described above with a silver impregnation solution, preferably under reduced pressure; and optionally subjecting the impregnated porous alumina support to drying; and b) subjecting the impregnated porous alpha-alumina support to a heat treatment; wherein steps a) and b) are optionally repeated. The invention further relates to a process for producing ethylene oxide by gas-phase oxidation of ethylene, comprising reacting ethylene and oxygen in the presence of a shaped catalyst body as described above.

What are described are a process for producing an insulating product for the construction materials industry or an insulating material as intermediate for production of such a product, and a corresponding insulating material/insulating product. Also described are the use of a matrix encapsulation method for production of composite particles in the production of an insulating product for the construction materials industry or of an insulating material as intermediate for production of such a product, and the corresponding use of the composite particles producible by means of a matrix encapsulation method

A fiber powder having a 50% particle diameter (d.sub.50) of 6 to 60 μm, characterized in that the fiber powder has a maximum particle diameter (d.sub.100) of 1,000 μm or less. It is preferred that a value ((d.sub.10.Math.d.sub.90)/d.sub.100) obtained by dividing by the maximum particle diameter (d.sub.100) a value which is obtained by multiplying a 10% particle diameter (d.sub.10) by a 90% particle diameter (d.sub.90) is 0.3 to 5.0, that the fiber powder has an extractable component content of 0.2 to 3.0% by weight based on the fiber weight, and that the fiber powder has a water content of 0.2 to 50% by weight. Further, it is preferred that the fiber powder is an organic material, or comprises a thermoplastic resin, and that the thermoplastic resin is a polyester resin or a polyamide resin.