A sintered compact includes an alumina phase as a primary phase, and further includes an amorphous phase containing Si and Mn and a cordierite phase. The sintered compact has a porosity of higher than or equal to 1.1% and less than or equal to 5.0%. Preferably, I1/(I1+I2) is greater than or equal to 0.20 and less than or equal to 0.45, where I1 is the strength of the main peak of cordierite obtained by an XRD method, and I2 is the strength of the main peak of alumina.

A porous material includes aggregate particles and a binding material. In the aggregate particles, oxide films containing cristobalite are provided on surfaces of particle bodies that are silicon carbide particles or silicon nitride particles. The binding material binds the aggregate particles together in a state where pores are provided therein. The porous material contains at least one of copper, calcium, and nickel as an ancillary component.

A porous ceramic structure includes a porous honeycomb structure composed primarily of cordierite, and Ce- and Zr-containing particles fixedly attached to the honeycomb structure. The Ce- and Zr-containing particles contain Ce and Zr. The Ce- and Zr-containing particles have a fixedly attached portion located inside the honeycomb structure and a protrusion contiguous with the fixedly attached portion and protruding from the honeycomb structure.

Provided is a ceramic composite material and a wavelength converter. The ceramic composite material includes: an alumina matrix, a fluorescent powder uniformly distributed in the alumina matrix, and scattering centers uniformly distributed in the alumina matrix, wherein the alumina matrix is an alumina ceramics, the scattering centers are alumina particles, the alumina particles each have a particle diameter of 1 μm to 10 μm, and the fluorescent powder has a particle diameter of 13 μm to 20 μm.

A method for firing a green honeycomb body and for manufacturing a cordierite honeycomb body. The honeycomb body is heated from an initial kiln temperature to a first kiln temperature that is from about 300° C. to 400° C., at an oxygen concentration greater than 16%. The honeycomb body is heated to a second kiln temperature that is from about 600° C. to 700° C. at a second heating rate of greater than 125° C./hr. The honeycomb body is heated to a third kiln temperature that is from about 800° C. to 900° C. at a third heating rate that is less than or equal to the second heating rate. The honeycomb body is heated to a fourth kiln temperature that is from about 1300° C. to 1450° C. at a fourth heating rate that is less than or equal to the third heating rate.

A joining material used for joining side surfaces of a plurality of silicon carbide-based honeycomb segments to each other to produce a silicon carbide-based honeycomb structure. The joining material contains from 0.1 to 50% by mass of processed powder generated in the production of the silicon carbide-based honeycomb segments and/or the silicon carbide-based honeycomb structure. The joining material has an average particle diameter D50 of from 0.5 to 60 μm.

The present invention relates to a ceramic paste composition comprising a matrix and water, wherein the matrix comprises, based on the total weight of the matrix: about 98 wt % to about 100 wt % of minerals of which at least 30 wt % are phyllosilicates and less than about 2 wt % organic additive; and wherein water is present from about 18 wt % to about 28 wt % based on the total weight of the ceramic paste composition. The present invention also relates to a method of forming a 3D structure using the ceramic paste composition of the invention.

Batch compositions containing pre-reacted inorganic spheroidal particles, small amount of fine inorganic particles (“fines”), and an extremely large amount of liquid vehicle. The batch compositions contain pre-reacted inorganic particles having a particle size distribution with 20 μm≤D50≤100 μm, D90≤100 μm, and D5≥10 μm; less than 20 wt % of fine inorganic particles (fines) whose particle distribution(s) have a median diameter of less than 5 μm; and a liquid vehicle in a weight percent (LV %≥28%) by super-addition to all inorganic particles in the batch composition. Fast extruding batch compositions having extremely high Tau Y/Beta ratios are provided. Green bodies, such as green honeycomb bodies and methods of manufacturing green honeycomb bodies are provided, as are other aspects.

A cordierite-containing ceramic body with % P≥50%, df≤0.50, and a combined weight percentage of crystalline phases containing cordierite and indialite of at least 85 wt %. The porous ceramic body contains, as expressed on a relative oxide weight percent basis in terms of MgO, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and SiO.sub.2 that is within a field defined by (15.4, 34.1, and 50.5), (12.2, 34.1, and 53.7), (13.3, 31.2, and 55.5), and (16.6, 31.1, and 52.3). Batch composition mixtures and methods of manufacturing a porous ceramic body using the batch compositions are provided, as are other aspects.

The present invention provides a method for preparing mineral ore powder using vegetable organic matter and microorganisms. The method comprises a step of pulverizing seven minerals consisting of 20 wt % of zeolite, 20 wt % of hornblende, 10 wt % of elvan, 10 wt % of illite, 10 wt % of biotite, 20 wt % of tourmaline, and 10% of white clay into 325 mesh; a step of discharging impurities by heating the pulverized mineral powder at a temperature of 1,100° C. for a few days; a step of preparing a mineral ore powder by adding microorganisms and pulverized vegetable organic matter consisting of 30 wt % of mulberry bark, 25 wt % of pine needles, 20 wt % of cypress, 15 wt % of ginger plant, and 10 wt % of bush clover; and a step of drying the mineral ore powder at a temperature of 30° C. for 2 days to activate the microorganisms.