Porous ceramics based on refractory double oxides are promising for the next-generation diesel particulate filter (DPF) materials. Similarly to aluminum titanate (Al 2 TiO 5 ), MgTi 2 O 5 has a pseudobrookite-type crystal structure with low thermal expansion coefficients among oxides. Since MgTi 2 O 5 has higher stability of pseudobrookite phase than Al 2 TiO 5 , it is expected that MgTi 2 O 5 -based materials are suitable for the next-generation DPF materials. In this study, porous MgTi 2 O 5 /MgTiO 3 composites have been prepared by in situ processing (viz. reactive sintering) at 10001200°C. Porous MgTi 2 O 5 /MgTiO 3 composites with very narrow pore-size distribution at the diameter of ³1 µm were obtained by the pyrolytic reactive sintering at 10001100°C. Internal porestructure was characterized by mercury intrusionextrusion porosimetry.©2010 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.Key-words : MgTi 2 O 5 , Pseudobrookite, Karrooite, MgTiO 3 , Geikielite, Pore-size distribution, Diesel particulate filter (DPF), In situ process [Received March 29, 2010; Accepted May 20, 2010] Diesel particulate filters (DPFs), typically made of porous ceramics, are widely used for trapping particulate matter (PM) in the diesel exhaust.1)4) Major ceramic companies, such as NGK, Ibiden and Corning, have mass-produced high-performance DPFs. At present, cordierite (Mg 2 Al 4 Si 5 O 18 ) and silicon carbide (SiC) are used for DPF materials; the first generation, cordierite, is characterized by its low-thermal expansion, low-cost and light-weight, while the second generation, SiC, is featured by its high-strength, high refractoriness, high thermal conductivity and so on (suitable for high-speed vehicles). Corresponding to a growing diversity of biodiesel fuels and to severer environmental regulations, third-generation DPFs materials with low-thermal expansion, low-cost, high strength and high refractoriness will be demanded in the future.
5),6)Several double oxides, such as mullite (3Al 2 O 3 ·2SiO 2 ), 2),7) zircon (ZrSiO 4 ) 8) and aluminum titanate (Al 2 TiO 5 ), 9)12) are of particular interest as candidates of the third generation, due to their low thermal expansion coefficients among oxides. Among these candidates, Al 2 TiO 5 (AT) has been eagerly studied due to its high thermal shock resistance caused by the low-thermal expansion. Thinking about its low-cost, safe, and refractory composition, MgTi 2 O 5 can be another candidate for the third-generation DPF material. 5),6) The present author has recently reported in situ