Honeycomb filter and method for producing honeycomb filter

1. A honeycomb filter comprising a honeycomb-structured substrate provided with a plurality of cells separated by partition walls of porous ceramic having pores and functioning as exhaust gas passages, the honeycomb-structured substrate having an exhaust gas inflow side and an exhaust gas outflow side,

wherein plugging portions are formed alternately in one side open end portions and the other side open end portions of the plural cells,

at least in open pores formed by the particles constituting the partition walls and/or gaps between the particles, a composite region is formed by depositing particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles in a surface layer portion of the partition walls on the exhaust gas inflow side,

the partition walls have an average pore diameter of 5 to 40 μm and a porosity of 35 to 75%,

the particles deposited have an average particle diameter of 1 to 15 μm, and

the composite region has a height of 80 μm or less with respect to the partition wall surface direction from the outermost contour line of the partition walls.

2. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein the particles having an average particle diameter smaller than the average size of the open pores formed by the particles constituting the partition walls and/or gaps between the particles are deposited to form the composite region.

3. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein the composite region is formed in the open pores and/or the gaps between the particles in the range from a surface layer reference line of the partition walls on the exhaust gas inflow side to a position of 30% of the partition wall thickness.

4. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein the composite region is formed in the open pores and/or the gaps between the particles in the range from a surface layer reference line of the partition wall on the exhaust gas inflow side to a position of the depth of at most 4 times the average pore diameter of the partition walls.

5. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein the particles deposited in the open pores and/or the gaps between the particles are formed of the same material as that for the particles constituting the partition walls.

6. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein the particles constituting the partition walls are formed of silicon carbide or a composite material of silicon carbide and silicon.

7. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein the particles deposited in the open pores and/or the gaps between the particles are bonded by a bonding phase different from the framework particles constituting the partition walls.

8. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein the particles deposited in the open pores and/or the gaps between the particles are bonded by a silica phase.

9. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein a catalyst is loaded on a part of or the entire portion of the partition walls and/or a part of or the entire portion of the composite region.

10. The honeycomb filter according to claim 1 , wherein the composite region has a height of at least 5 μm to 80 μm or less with respect to the partition wall surface direction from the outermost contour line of the partition wall.

11. A method for producing a honeycomb filter, the method comprising:

forming a honeycomb formed body by subjecting a forming raw material containing a ceramic raw material to extrusion forming and forming plugging portions alternately in one side open end portions and the other side open end portions of the plural cells of the honeycomb formed body,

firing the honeycomb formed body to form a honeycomb fired body,

supplying particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles constituting the partition walls from the one side open end portions of the honeycomb fired body by a solid-gas two-phase flow, and

at least in open pores formed by the particles constituting the partition walls and/or gaps between the particles, forming a composite region by depositing particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles in a surface layer portion of the partition walls on the exhaust gas inflow side;

wherein the partition walls have an average pore diameter of 5 to 40 μm and a porosity of 35 to 75%,

the particles deposited have an average particle diameter of 1 to 15 μm, and

the composite region has a height of 80 μm or less with respect to the partition wall surface direction from the outermost contour line of the partition walls.

12. The method for producing a honeycomb filter according to claim 11 , wherein the method comprises:

supplying particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles constituting the partition walls from one side open end portion of the honeycomb fired body, and

simultaneously, sucking the particles from the other open end portions of the honeycomb fired article to deposit the particles in the pores formed in the partition walls on the exhaust gas inflow side to form a composite region.

13. A method for producing a honeycomb filter, the method comprising:

forming a honeycomb formed body by subjecting a forming raw material containing a ceramic raw material to extrusion forming and forming plugging portions alternately in one side open end portions and the other side open end portions of the plural cells of the honeycomb formed body,

firing the honeycomb formed body to form a honeycomb fired body,

supplying particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles constituting the partition walls from the one side open end portions of the honeycomb fired body by a solid-gas two-phase flow,

at least in open pores formed by the particles constituting the partition walls and/or gaps between the particles, forming a composite region by depositing particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles in a surface layer portion of the partition walls on the exhaust gas inflow side, and

further performing a thermal treatment;

wherein the partition walls have an average pore diameter of 5 to 40 μm and a porosity of 35 to 75%,

the particles deposited have an average particle diameter of 1 to 15 μm, and

the composite region has a height of 80 μm or less with respect to the partition wall surface direction from the outermost contour line of the partition walls.

14. The method for producing a honeycomb filter according to claim 13 , wherein the method comprises:

supplying particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles constituting the partition walls from one side open end portion of the honeycomb fired body, and

simultaneously, sucking the particles from the other open end portions of the honeycomb fired article to deposit the particles in the pores formed in the partition walls on the exhaust gas inflow side to form a composite region.

15. A method for producing a honeycomb filter, the method comprising:

forming a honeycomb formed body by subjecting a forming raw material containing a ceramic raw material to extrusion forming and forming plugging portions alternately in one side open end portions and the other side open end portions of the plural cells of the honeycomb formed body,

firing the honeycomb formed body to form a honeycomb fired body,

loading a catalyst on the partition walls of the honeycomb fired body to obtain a catalyst-loaded honeycomb-structured body,

supplying particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles constituting the partition walls from the one side open end portions of the honeycomb-structured body with the catalyst by a solid-gas two-phase flow,

at least in open pores formed by the particles constituting the partition walls and/or gaps between the particles, forming a composite region by depositing particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles in a surface layer portion of the partition walls on the exhaust gas inflow side, and

further performing a thermal treatment;

wherein the partition walls have an average pore diameter of 5 to 40 μm and a porosity of 35 to 75%,

the particles deposited have an average particle diameter of 1 to 15 μm, and

the composite region has a height of 80 μm or less with respect to the partition wall surface direction from the outermost contour line of the partition walls.

16. The method for producing a honeycomb filter according to claim 15 , wherein the method comprises:

supplying particles having an average particle diameter smaller than that of the particles constituting the partition walls from one side open end portion of the honeycomb fired body, and

simultaneously, sucking the particles from the other open end portions of the honeycomb fired article to deposit the particles in the pores formed in the partition walls on the exhaust gas inflow side to form a composite region.