Pillar-shaped honeycomb structure and method for manufacturing same

1 . A pillar-shaped honeycomb structure, comprising an outer peripheral side wall; a plurality of first cells disposed on an inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral side wall, each extending from a first end surface to a second end surface, having an opening on the first end surface and having a sealing portion on the second end surface; and a plurality of second cells disposed on the inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral side wall, each extending from the first end surface to the second end surface, having a sealing portion on the first end surface, and having an opening on the second end surface; the first cells and the second cells being arranged alternately adjacent to each other with partition walls interposed therebetween;

wherein the outer peripheral side wall, the partition walls, and the sealing portions are fired, and comprise cordierite as a main component and one or more sintering aids selected from ceria, zirconia, and titania;

wherein in the partition walls, assuming an average porosity of a portion in a range A from a deepest part of the sealing portions of the second end surface in the direction in which the first cells extend to the second end surface, and a portion in a range B from a deepest part of the sealing portions of the first end surface in the direction in which the second cells extend to the first end surface is P 1 (%); and

in the partition walls, assuming an average porosity of a portion in a range C from the deepest part of the sealing portions of the second end surface in the direction in which the first cells extend to the deepest part of the sealing portions of the first end surface in the direction in which the second cells extend is P 2 (%), −4≤P 1 −P 2 ≤7 is satisfied.

2 . The pillar-shaped honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein −2≤P 1 −P 2 ≤5 is satisfied.

3 . The pillar-shaped honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein 55≤P 2 ≤70 is satisfied.

4 . The pillar-shaped honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein in the partition walls, assuming an average value of a total content of the one or more sintering aids selected from ceria, zirconia, and titania in the portion in the range A and the portion in the range B is S 1 (%), and in the partition walls, assuming an average value of a total content of the one or more sintering aids selected from ceria, zirconia, and titania in the range C is S 2 (%), and assuming a cumulative 50% pore diameter of the partition walls in a volume-based cumulative pore diameter distribution measured by a mercury porosimetry is D50 (μm), (S 2 −S 1 )/D50×100≤6 is satisfied.

5 . The pillar-shaped honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein in the partition walls of the portion in the range C, a cumulative 10% pore diameter (D10), a cumulative 50% pore diameter (D50), and a cumulative 90% pore diameter (D90) from the small pore side in a volume-based cumulative pore diameter distribution measured by a mercury porosimetry satisfy a relationship (D90−D10)/D50≤1.2.

6 . A method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure, the pillar-shaped honeycomb structure comprising an outer peripheral side wall; a plurality of first cells disposed on an inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral side wall, each extending from a first end surface to a second end surface, having an opening on the first end surface and having a sealing portion on the second end surface; and a plurality of second cells disposed on the inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral side wall, each extending from the first end surface to the second end surface, having a sealing portion on the first end surface, and having an opening on the second end surface; the first cells and the second cells being arranged alternately adjacent to each other with partition walls interposed therebetween; the method comprising:

kneading a raw material composition containing a cordierite-forming raw material, a dispersion medium, a pore-forming material, a binder, and further containing one or more sintering aids selected from ceria, zirconia, and titania to form a green body, and then extrusion molding the green body to obtain a pillar-shaped honeycomb formed body comprising an outer peripheral side wall; and a plurality of cells disposed on an inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral side wall, each extending from the first end surface to the second end surface and having an opening on both the first end surface and the second end surface;

drying the pillar-shaped honeycomb formed body, and then filling the openings on the first end surface and the second end surface where the sealing portions are to be formed with a slurry for forming the sealing portions, the slurry for forming the sealing portions containing a cordierite-forming raw material, a dispersion medium, a pore-forming material, a binder, and further containing one or more sintering aids selected from ceria, zirconia, and titania; and

firing the pillar-shaped honeycomb formed body filled with the slurry for forming the sealing portions;

wherein for the sintering aid in the raw material composition, assuming a total added amount with respect to 100 parts by mass of the cordierite-forming raw material is C 1 parts by mass, and for the sintering aid in the slurry for forming the sealing portions, assuming a total added amount with respect to 100 parts by mass of the cordierite-forming raw material is C 2 parts by mass, −8≤C 1 −C 2 ≤1 is satisfied.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein −6≤C 1 −C 2 ≤0 is satisfied.

8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein 1≤C 2 ≤10 is satisfied.

9 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein both the sintering aid in the raw material composition and the sintering aid in the slurry for forming the sealing portions have a median diameter (D50) in a volume-based cumulative particle diameter distribution determined by a laser diffraction/scattering method of 0.1 to 10 μm.