Methods for forming an interconnected network of solid material and pores, with metal residing only at the air/solid interface of the interconnected network structure are described. In certain embodiments, nanoparticle decorated sacrificial particles can be used as sacrificial templates for the formation of a porous structure having an interconnected network of solid material and interconnected network of pores. The nanoparticles reside predominantly at the air/solid interface and allow further growth and accessibility of the nanoparticles at defined positions of the interconnected structure. SEM and TEM measurements reveal the formation of 3D interconnected porous structures with nanoparticles residing predominantly at the air/solid interface of the interconnected structure.

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 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 pillar shaped honeycomb structure including pillar shaped honeycomb segments joined together via joining material layers, wherein each of the pillar shaped honeycomb segment includes: an outer peripheral wall; and a porous partition wall disposed on an inner side of the outer peripheral wall, the partition wall defining a plurality of cells, each of the cells extending from one end face to other end face to form a flow path, and wherein a metal member is embedded in each of the joining material layer.

A honeycomb structure prevents catalyst slurry from leaching out when applying a wash coat for making a catalyst supported, ensuring air permeability of the outer portion and in which there is no occurrence of cracking when used as a gasoline particulate filter. The honeycomb structure having: a honeycomb substrate composed of porous partition walls forming a plurality of cells and a porous outer portion; and a resin composition on the outer portion of the honeycomb substrate, wherein the outer portion and the partition walls of the honeycomb substrate are formed of the same material; a porosity of the honeycomb structure is 50% or more; and the resin composition is impregnated into pores of the whole outer portion; and the impregnation depth is equal to the outer portion thickness or a part of the resin composition is impregnated deeper than the outer portion and reaches the cell partition walls.

Provided is an exhaust gas purifying filter used with a HC purifying catalyst supported thereon. Numerous pores are formed in partitions of the exhaust gas purifying filter. In a cross-section of the partition, pores are open at a passage surface, having an open end of which the opening diameter is 50 μm or larger. In the cross-section of the partitions, the partitions include a narrow part where a pore diameter is 5 μm or more and the pore diameter becomes a minimum in a region. In the cross-section of the partitions, the region is positioned between a pair of virtual lines L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 extending from opposing sides of the opening end to a passage surface positioned opposite to the opening end along the wall thickness direction X, Z. The pore diameter at the narrow part is 6% or more and less than or equal to 20% of the opening diameter.

A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall disposed to surround a plurality of cells, wherein a major component of the partition wall is cordierite, a porosity of the partition wall is 45 to 55%, an average pore diameter of the partition wall is 8 to 19 μm, a cumulative pore volume of the partition wall is such that a pore volume ratio of the pores having a pore diameter larger than a thickness of the partition wall relative to an overall pore volume of the partition wall is 3.0% or less, and a pore volume ratio of the pores having a pore diameter of 10 μm or less relative to the overall pore volume of the partition wall is 30% or more, and a pore diameter distribution of the partition wall is a unimodal distribution, or a multimodal distribution.

A precursor mixture for producing a porous body, wherein the precursor mixture comprises: (i) milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 6 microns, (ii) boehmite powder that functions as a binder of the alpha alumina powders, and (iii) burnout materials having a particle sizes of 1-10 microns. In some embodiments, an unmilled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 10 to 100 microns is also included in said precursor mixture. Also described herein is a method for producing a porous body in which the above-described precursor mixture is formed to a given shape, and subjected to a heat treatment step in which the formed shape is sintered to produce the porous body.

A batch mixture comprising pre-reacted pseudobrookite particles consisting essentially of aluminum titanate and magnesium dititanate, a reactive alumina source, a reactive titania source, and a reactive silica source. Other batch mixtures and methods of manufacturing honeycomb extrudates and porous honeycomb bodies using the batch mixture are disclosed.

Porous, binderless ceramic surface modification materials are described, and applications of use thereof. The ceramic material may include a metal oxide and/or metal hydroxide, and/or hydrates thereof, on a substrate surface.