A method to form a laminar integral skin of a honeycomb structure is provided. The method includes extruding a ceramic precursor batch through a die with feedholes in entry side and slots in exit face of the die to form the honeycomb structure. In a region on the periphery of the die configured to form the cell matrix, a series of concentric slots around the matrix in the exit face of the die are configured to feed skin onto the matrix. Ring sections between concentric slots are angled away from the center and a mask is disposed on top of the periphery producing a channel for extruded skin to meet and bond to extruded matrix. Optionally, slots in the skin-forming ring sections enhance knitting between laminar skin layers. The die and honeycomb body having uniform integral skin are also provided.

A honeycomb structure, including: a plurality of pillar shaped honeycomb segments, each of the pillar shaped honeycomb segments including a partition wall and a plugged portion; and a joining layer arranged so as to join side surfaces of the pillar shaped honeycomb segments to each other. The honeycomb structure satisfies the following equations (1) to (3):

y≤1000  (1);

y≤717.92x.sup.−0.095  (2); and

y≥462.4x.sup.−0.153  (3),

in which y is a maximum temperature (° C.) at which the use of the honeycomb structure is accepted, and x is a thermal conduction factor represented by the following equation:

thermal conduction factor=(thermal conductivity of the partition wall×thermal conductivity of the joining layer)/(average thickness of the joining layer×porosity of the partition wall).

A pillar shaped honeycomb structure includes: a porous partition wall that defines a plurality of cells, the cells forming flow paths for a fluid, the cells extending from an inflow end face to an outflow end face; and an outer peripheral wall located at the outermost circumference. At least a part of surfaces of the partition walls has a surface layer, and the surface layer includes magnetic particles and has permeability.

A ceramic honeycomb filter comprising a cordierite-type ceramic honeycomb structure having large numbers of flow paths partitioned by porous cell walls, and plugs formed in end portions of predetermined flow paths of the ceramic honeycomb structure; the cell walls having a thermal expansion coefficient Tw (10.sup.7/ C.) of 10 or less in the flow path direction between 40 C. and 800 C.; the plugs comprising at least ceramic particles, and 5-25 parts by mass of an amorphous oxide matrix per 100 parts by mass of the ceramic particles; the ceramic particles comprising at least 42-90% by mass of amorphous silica particles, and 10-58% by mass of cordierite particles; and the amorphous silica particles comprising 4-30% by mass of first silica particles having a median particle diameter of 10-40 m, and 70-96% by mass of second silica particles having a median particle diameter of 70-200 m.

A honeycomb structure body has a skin part of a cylindrical shape and a honeycomb structural part formed with the skin part together in a monolithic body. The skin part and the honeycomb structural part have partition walls of a porous structure. The cells have first cells arranged adjacent to the skin part and second cells arranged adjacent to the first cells. The skin part, the first cells and the second cells form an outer peripheral section. A central section is arranged inside the outer peripheral section. The honeycomb structure body satisfies a relationship in which a thermal expansion coefficient of the outer peripheral section is greater than a thermal expansion coefficient of the central section.

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 m.

A particulate filter, including: a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure portion having a plurality of first cells extending from a first end face to a second end face, the first end face being open and the second end face being plugged, and a plurality of second cells extending from the first end face to the second end face, the first end face being plugged and the second end face being open, in which the first cells and the second cells are alternately arranged adjacent to each other with porous partition walls interposed therebetween; and a low thermal conductive layer covering a part or the whole of an outer peripheral side surface of the pillar-shaped honeycomb structure portion, the thermal conductivity in a thickness direction of the low thermal conductive layer being 0.6 W/(m.Math.K) or less.

A honeycomb structure body has a skin part of a cylindrical shape and a honeycomb structural part formed with the skin part together in a monolithic body. The skin part and the honeycomb structural part have partition walls of a porous structure. The cells have first cells arranged adjacent to the skin part and second cells arranged adjacent to the first cells. The skin part, the first cells and the second cells form an outer peripheral section. A central section is arranged inside the outer peripheral section. The honeycomb structure body satisfies a relationship in which a thermal expansion coefficient of the outer peripheral section is greater than a thermal expansion coefficient of the central section.

A plugged honeycomb structure has a plurality of cells defined by partition walls to become through channels for fluid, one end of each of the predetermined cells is plugged by a plugging member, the other end of each of the residual cells is plugged by the plugging member, the partition wall is made of a cordierite component as a main component, and a value obtained by dividing Young's modulus of a plugging structure portion formed by the partition walls and the plugging member by Young's modulus of a cell structure portion formed by the partition walls is in a range of 1.05 to 2.00.

An outer periphery coating material being coated onto an outer peripheral surface of a ceramic honeycomb structure to form an outer periphery coated layer. The outer periphery coating material comprises: a particle mixture containing cordierite particles and amorphous silica particles in a mass ratio of from 40:60 to 80:20; and from 10 to 30% by mass of crystalline inorganic fibers in an outer percentage relative to the particle mixture. An average particle diameter of the cordierite particles is different from an average particle diameter of the amorphous silica particles.