A particulate filter 23 is configured by being provided with, arranged side by side, a plurality of honeycomb-shaped segments 29, 30, 31 having a plurality of cells 32. The density of cells in the segments 30, 31 disposed in the outer circumference part is set to be lower than the density of cells in the segments 29 disposed in the center part. In addition, the segments 30, 31 disposed in the outer circumference part are configured so that the density of the cells 32 becomes lower as the area of the end face becomes smaller.

A honeycomb filter includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure having porous partition walls provided, surrounding a plurality of cells which serve as fluid through channels extending from an inflow end face to an outflow end face, and porous plugging portions provided either at the ends on the inflow end face or the outflow end face of the cells, wherein the plugging portions are composed of a porous material, the honeycomb structure has a central region and a circumferential region, and a ratio of an area of the circumferential region with respect to that of the central region ranges from 0.1 to 0.5, a plugging length L1 in the cell extending direction of a central plugging portion in the central region is larger than a plugging length L2 of a circumferential plugging portion in the circumferential region, L1 ranges from 7 to 9 mm, and L2 from 3 to 6 mm.

A plugged honeycomb structure includes a honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall disposed to surround a plurality of cells; and a plugging portion disposed at one end of the cells, wherein, in a section orthogonal to the extending direction of the cell, the cells each have a shape that is polygon, and one of the inflow cells and another are adjacent to each other with the partition wall therebetween, and in the section orthogonal to the extending direction of the cell, a total area of the inflow cell is larger than a total area of the outflow cell, a porosity of the partition wall is 38% or more, a thickness of the partition wall is 125 μm or more and 280 μm or less, a cell density of the honeycomb structure body is 31.0 cells/cm.sup.2 or more, and an air-permeability resistance of the partition wall is 4.5×10.sup.7Pa.Math.s/m.sup.2 or less.

A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall defining a plurality of cells serving as fluid through channels extending from a first end face to a second end face, and having a circumferential wall disposed so as to encompass the circumference of the partition wall, wherein a thickness of the partition wall is 50 to 132 μm, a porosity of the partition wall is 40 to 55%, an open frontal area of pores on the surface of the partition wall per unit surface area of the partition wall is 10 to 15%, and a percentage (S.sub.0˜10/S.sub.all×100%) of the ratio of an opening area S.sub.0˜10 of the pores having an opening diameter of 10 μm or less to a total opening area S.sub.all of the pores opened to the surface of the partition wall is 90% or more.

A honeycomb structure comprising a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall disposed so as to surround a plurality of cells, wherein let that A denotes an absolute value of open frontal area (%) in a plane of the honeycomb structure body orthogonal to the extending direction of the cells and P denotes an absolute value of porosity (%) of the partition wall, the honeycomb structure has a value represented by the following expression (1) that is 0.05 to 0.12, let that D denotes an average pore diameter (m) of the partition wall and G denotes a geometric surface area (mm.sup.2/mm.sup.3) of the partition wall, the honeycomb structure has a value represented by the following expression (2) that is 8 to 50 (μm×mm.sup.2/mm.sup.3), and the honeycomb structure has a hydraulic diameter of the cells that is 1.1 mm or more,
(1−A/100)×(1−P/100),  Expression (1)
D×G.  Expression (2)

A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall and a circumferential wall, wherein in a section orthogonal to the extending direction of the cells of the honeycomb structure body, the shape of the cell is a polygonal shape with a corner having an arc shape, a thickness T1[mm] of the partition wall is 0.0500 to 0.1400 mm, a radius of curvature R1[mm] of the corner having the arc shape of the cell and the thickness T1[mm] of the partition wall satisfy the relationship of Equation (1), in the section orthogonal to the extending direction of the cells of the honeycomb structure body, the outer diameter of the honeycomb structure body is 190.5 to 355.6 mm, and a porosity of the partition wall is 20 to 40%.

0.0050≤R1×T1≤0.0150  Equation (1):

A particulate filter 23 is configured by being provided with, arranged side by side, a plurality of honeycomb-shaped segments 29, 30, 31 having a plurality of cells 32. The density of cells in the segments 30, 31 disposed in the outer circumference part is set to be lower than the density of cells in the segments 29 disposed in the center part. In addition, the segments 30, 31 disposed in the outer circumference part are configured so that the density of the cells 32 becomes lower as the area of the end face becomes smaller.

A particulate filter having a honeycomb structure of a matrix of interconnected porous walls including inlet cells and outlet cells defining a plurality of inlet channels and outlet channels, respectively, wherein at least a portion of the outlet cells are larger than any of the inlet cells, and a cross-sectional shape of at least some of the outlet channels is rectangular. Honeycomb extrusion dies, honeycomb bodies, honeycomb structures, and methods of manufacture are described, as are other aspects.

A honeycomb structure, including: a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a first end face and a second end face and including a porous partition wall disposed so as to surround a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells extending from the first end face to the second end face and serving as a through channel of fluid, wherein the partition wall has a porosity of 45 to 65%, the partition wall has an average pore diameter of 15 to 25 μm, and the partition wall has a cumulative pore volume, which is measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry, such that a pore volume ratio of pores having pore diameters of 10 μm or less relative to the overall pore volume of the partition wall is 10% or less, and a pore volume ratio of pores having pore diameters of 40 μm or more is 10% or less.

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.