Method for producing ceramic honeycomb structure

1. A method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure comprising aluminum titanate as a main crystal, comprising the steps of

mixing

ceramic powder consisting of titania powder, alumina powder and amorphous silica powder having a purity of 99.5% or more, the molar ratio of the titania powder to the alumina powder being 48:52 to 52:48, the amount of the amorphous silica powder being 2-6 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total of the titania powder and the alumina powder,

a binder,

a single pore-forming material, and

water, to produce a moldable material;

extruding said moldable material in a honeycomb shape;

drying said moldable material in a honeycomb shape; and then

sintering said moldable material in a honeycomb shape at 1400-1700° C.,

wherein said single pore-forming material consists of one item selected from the group consisting of wheat powder, graphite, and foamed resin particles.

2. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein amorphous silica powder is composed of molten silica obtained by melting silica stone.

3. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein said amorphous silica powder has an average particle size of 2-30 μm.

4. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein said amorphous silica powder has an aspect ratio of 1-7.

5. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according claim 1 , wherein said titania powder has an average particle size of 0.05-3 μm.

6. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein said alumina powder has an average particle size of 0.1-5 μm.