Abstract: A method for manufacturing porous ceramic articles comprised of a primary sintered phase ceramic composition. The method includes the steps of providing a plasticized ceramic precursor batch composition including ceramic forming inorganic batch components; a liquid vehicle; an organic binder system; and a pore forming agent comprising at least one peroxide containing compound. An extruded green body is formed from the plasticized ceramic precursor batch composition and subsequently fired under conditions effective to convert the extruded green body into a ceramic article comprising a porous sintered phase composition. Also disclosed are ceramic article produced by the methods disclosed herein.

Abstract: Alumina-silica catalyst supports having substantially high surfaces areas are formed by extrusion, drying and firing of a plasticized batch including an alumina-silica powder component, acid, organic binder and water. The alumina-silica powder component can be formed either by the mixing of alumina- and silica-source powders or by forming a slurry therefrom which is spray dried to form a particulate material prior to batching.