A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body including porous partition walls defining and forming a plurality of cells which extend from an inflow end face to an outflow end face, and a porous outer wall surrounding the partition walls, a porous supporting bulge disposed to extend out from a circumference of the outer wall so that at least a part of the outer wall is exposed, and plugging portions arranged in open ends of the cells, and the supporting bulge has support portions and a side wall portion, and the partition walls and the outer wall of the honeycomb structure body and the support portions and the side wall portion of the supporting bulge are all formed monolithically by formation of a ceramic raw material.

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 body mainly based on BaTiO.sub.3-based crystalline particles in which a part of Ba is substituted with at least one rare earth element and at least one alkaline earth metal element. The ceramic body contains from 1.0 to 8.0% by mass of Ba.sub.6Ti.sub.17O.sub.40 crystalline particles. The BaTiO.sub.3-based crystal particles have a substituted amount of one mol of the Ba with the alkaline earth metal element of 0.01 to 0.10 mol.

The monolithic base is a porous alumina body that includes pores and that is configured by alumina particles as an aggregate and an oxide phase as a binding material. The alumina particles include microscopic alumina particles having a particle diameter of greater than or equal to 0.5 m and less than or equal to 5 m and coarse alumina particles having a particle diameter of greater than 5 m. The number of microscopic alumina particles that are encapsulated in the oxide phase is greater than or equal to 50% of the total number of microscopic alumina particles and coarse alumina particles.

Provided herein are methods for forming nanofibers. The current disclosure provides ceramic nanofibers, morphology-controlled ceramic-polymer hybrid nanofibers, morphology-controlled ceramic nanofibers, core-sheath nanofibers and hollow core nanofibers using ceramic precursor materials and polymer materials which are combined and undergo electrospinning. The current disclosure provides for methods of forming these nanofibers at low temperatures such as room temperature and in the presence of oxygen and moisture wherein the ceramic precursor cures to a ceramic material during the electrospinning process. Also disclosed are the nanofibers prepared by the disclosed methods.

Provided herein are methods for forming nanofibers. The current disclosure provides ceramic nanofibers, morphology-controlled ceramic-polymer hybrid nanofibers, morphology-controlled ceramic nanofibers, core-sheath nanofibers and hollow core nanofibers using ceramic precursor materials and polymer materials which are combined and undergo electrospinning. The current disclosure provides for methods of forming these nanofibers at low temperatures such as room temperature and in the presence of oxygen and moisture wherein the ceramic precursor cures to a ceramic material during the electrospinning process. Also disclosed are the nanofibers prepared by the disclosed methods.

A honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body including porous partition walls defining and forming a plurality of cells which extend from an inflow end face to an outflow end face, and a porous outer wall surrounding the partition walls, a porous supporting bulge disposed to extend out from a circumference of the outer wall so that at least a part of the outer wall is exposed, and plugging portions arranged in open ends of the cells, and the supporting bulge has support portions and a side wall portion, and the partition walls and the outer wall of the honeycomb structure body and the support portions and the side wall portion of the supporting bulge are all formed monolithically by formation of a ceramic raw material.

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%.

Provided herein are methods for forming nanofibers. The current disclosure provides ceramic nanofibers, morphology-controlled ceramic-polymer hybrid nanofibers, morphology-controlled ceramic nanofibers, core-sheath nanofibers and hollow core nanofibers using ceramic precursor materials and polymer materials which are combined and undergo electrospinning. The current disclosure provides for methods of forming these nanofibers at low temperatures such as room temperature and in the presence of oxygen and moisture wherein the ceramic precursor cures to a ceramic material during the electrospinning process. Also disclosed are the nanofibers prepared by the disclosed methods.

Provided herein are methods for forming nanofibers. The current disclosure provides ceramic nanofibers, morphology-controlled ceramic-polymer hybrid nanofibers, morphology-controlled ceramic nanofibers, core-sheath nanofibers and hollow core nanofibers using ceramic precursor materials and polymer materials which are combined and undergo electrospinning. The current disclosure provides for methods of forming these nanofibers at low temperatures such as room temperature and in the presence of oxygen and moisture wherein the ceramic precursor cures to a ceramic material during the electrospinning process. Also disclosed are the nanofibers prepared by the disclosed methods.