Ceramic honeycombs have been used as automotive catalyst supports in US, Japan, Europe and other highly urbanized countries.
Now, engine output is a great concern for automanufacturers, and reduction of the wall thickness of honeycomb substrates became indespensable for maintenance of gas flow restriction to a certain low level. To reduce wall thickness, material should be strong to maintain canning strength of substrates.
Mechanical strength was improved with high density cordierite. However, isostatic strength of whole substrates was still insufficient with reduced thin walls for canning in spite of the material's high mecanical strength.
Discussion is carried out on further possibility of improving canning performance of thin wall substrates as well as flow restriction, and warm up characteristics.