High filtration efficiency particulate filters having bimodal pore size distribution made from beads with open porosity

1 . A particulate filter comprising:

a ceramic honeycomb body comprising a plurality of intersecting walls, wherein the plurality of intersecting walls form a plurality of channels extending longitudinally though the ceramic honeycomb body from a first end face to a second end face;

a first plurality of plugs in a first subset of the plurality of channels at the first end face;

a second plurality of plugs in a second subset of the plurality of the channels at the second end face, wherein the first subset of the plurality of channels is different than the second subset of the plurality of channels;

wherein the plurality of intersecting walls comprise a porous ceramic material having a microstructure that comprises an interconnected network of porous spheroidal ceramic beads, wherein the microstructure has a total porosity defined as the sum of an open intrabead porosity of the porous spheroidal ceramic beads and an interbead porosity defined by interstices between the porous spheroidal ceramic beads in the interconnected network; and

wherein the microstructure has a bimodal pore size distribution in which an intrabead median pore size of the porous spheroidal ceramic beads is from 1.5 μm to 4 μm and an interbead median pore size of the interstices between the porous spheroidal ceramic beads is from 6 μm to 20 μm.

2 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the open intrabead porosity is at least 8% relative to a total volume defined by the interconnected network.

3 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of catalytically active particles deposited within pores of the porous spheroidal ceramic beads and within the interstices between the porous spheroidal ceramic beads on outer surfaces of the porous spheroidal ceramic beads.

4 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the porous spheroidal ceramic beads comprise at least 80 wt % cordierite.

5 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the porous spheroidal ceramic beads comprise a closed bead porosity of less than 5%.

6 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the open intrabead porosity is at least 12% relative to a total volume defined by the interconnected network.

7 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein an interbead half maximum pore size distribution peak breadth is at most 6 μm, as determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

8 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein an intrabead half maximum pore size distribution peak breadth is at most 2 μm, as determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

9 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the bimodal pore size distribution, when determined via mercury intrusion porosimetry, has a local minimum differential intrusion value at a pore size that is between the intrabead median pore size and the interbead median pore size, and wherein the local minimum differential intrusion value is less than 20% of a maximum differential intrusion value of an interbead peak.

10 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein a D10 value of the bimodal pore size distribution of the particulate filter is at most 3 μm, as determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

11 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein a D75-D50 value of the bimodal pore size distribution of the particulate filter is at most 2 μm, as determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

12 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein a D50/D10 ratio of the bimodal pore size distribution of the particulate filter is at least 3, as determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

13 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the total porosity is at least 55%, and wherein, as determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry, the bimodal pore size distribution has a D10 value of at most 3 μm, a D50 value between 5 μm and 18 μm, and a D75-D50 value of at most 2 μm.

14 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the open intrabead porosity of the porous spheroidal ceramic beads is on average at least 20% relative to a volume of the porous spheroidal ceramic beads.

15 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the interbead median pore size is in a range from 8 μm to 18 μm.

16 . The particulate filter of claim 1 , wherein the porous spheroidal ceramic beads have a median particle size in a range from 20 μm to 50 μm.

17 . A method of manufacturing a particulate filter, comprising:

mixing together a batch mixture comprising a plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads each comprising a porous ceramic material,

shaping the batch mixture into a green honeycomb body;

firing the green honeycomb body into a ceramic honeycomb body by sintering together the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads into an interconnected network of the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads, wherein the ceramic honeycomb body comprises a plurality of intersecting walls that define channels extending axially between opposite end faces of the ceramic honeycomb body, wherein a microstructure of the plurality of intersecting walls comprises the interconnected network of the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads; and

alternatingly plugging at least some of the channels at the opposite end faces of the ceramic honeycomb body to form the particulate filter;

wherein the microstructure has a total porosity defined as the sum of an open intrabead porosity of the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads and an interbead porosity defined by interstices between the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads in the interconnected network; and

wherein the microstructure has a bimodal pore size distribution in which an intrabead median pore size of the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads is from 1.5 μm to 4 μm and an interbead median pore size of the interstices between the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads is from 6 μm to 20 μm.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein prior to forming the batch mixture, the method further comprises:

forming a slurry mixture comprising a mixture of ceramic precursor materials;

spheroidizing the slurry mixture into spheroidal green agglomerates; and

firing the spheroidal green agglomerates to form the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads by converting the mixture of ceramic precursor materials into the porous ceramic material.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the batch mixture comprises the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads in an amount ranging from 60 wt % to 95 wt %, relative to a total weight of an inorganic binder and the plurality of porous ceramic spheroidal beads.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the inorganic binder comprises a plurality of shear binder agglomerates, wherein the plurality of shear binder agglomerates comprise a green mixture of one or more inorganic ceramic precursor materials and a binder.