Abstract: A method for firing a green honeycomb ceramic body in a kiln may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body in four stages. The first stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from room temperature to a first temperature that at a first heating rate that is greater than or equal to about 75° C./hr. The second stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from the first temperature to a second temperature at a second heating rate that is less than or equal to the first heating rate. The third stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from the second temperature to a hold temperature at a third heating rate that is less than or equal to the first heating rate. The fourth stage may include holding the green honeycomb ceramic body at the hold temperature to remove residual carbon.

Abstract: A method for firing a green honeycomb ceramic body in a kiln may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body in four stages. The first stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from room temperature to a first temperature that at a first heating rate that is greater than or equal to about 75° C./hr. The second stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from the first temperature to a second temperature at a second heating rate that is less than or equal to the first heating rate. The third stage may include heating the green honeycomb ceramic body from the second temperature to a hold temperature at a third heating rate that is less than or equal to the first heating rate. The fourth stage may include holding the green honeycomb ceramic body at the hold temperature to remove residual carbon.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inorganic honeycomb structure that resists water damage after drying comprises compounding a base batch mixture including inorganic powders, a batch cross-link agent, an aqueous vehicle, and a cross-linkable batch constituent, and forming the batch mixture into a honeycomb core or skin component while reacting the cross-link agent with cross-linkable batch constituent.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure comprises providing an aqueous ceramic solution, providing a batch cross-link agent, mixing the agent with the solution, extruding the aqueous ceramic solution containing the cross-link agent into a honeycomb structure, and drying the honeycomb structure via a single drying step thereby forming a hardened, substantially water resistant, honeycomb structure. The method may further comprise addition of a ceramic surfactant to the aqueous ceramic solution, as well as plugging channels within the honeycomb structure with a plugging material comprising an aqueous ceramic solution that includes batch cross-link agents and ceramic surfactants therein.

Abstract: Porous, non-microcracked cordierite ceramic bodies having high strength, high strain tolerance, and high thermal shock resistance are produced from cordierite powder batch mixtures of controlled powder particle size fired according to a schedule that prevents objectionable cordierite grain growth, maintaining a small cordierite crystalline domain size in order to minimize or prevent microcracking in the product.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inorganic honeycomb structure that resists water damage after drying comprises compounding a base batch mixture including inorganic powders, a batch cross-link agent, an aqueous vehicle, and a cross-linkable batch constituent, and forming the batch mixture into a honeycomb core or skin component while reacting the cross-link agent with cross-linkable batch constituent.

Abstract: Porous, non-microcracked cordierite ceramic bodies having high strength, high strain tolerance, and high thermal shock resistance are produced from cordierite powder batch mixtures of controlled powder particle size fired according to a schedule that prevents objectionable cordierite grain growth, maintaining a small cordierite crystalline domain size in order to minimize or prevent microcracking in the product.