Batch mixtures containing pre-reacted inorganic particles and methods of manufacture of ceramic bodies therefrom

A method of making a ceramic body, the method comprising:

• mixing together a batch mixture comprising a total amount of inorganic particles comprised of a first quantity of particles and a second quantity of particles, wherein the first quantity of particles comprises constituents capable of producing aluminum titanate via reactive sintering at one or more reactive sintering temperatures, wherein the first quantity of particles comprises a reactive alumina source, a reactive titania source, and a reactive silica source, and wherein the second quantity of particles comprises pre-reacted crystalline particles comprising aluminum titanate in an amount from 70 wt % to 99 wt % relative to the total amount of inorganic particles in the batch mixture, wherein the pre-reacted crystalline particles have a pseudobrookite type crystal structure and are stable with respect to the first quantity of particles at the one or more reactive sintering temperatures;
• shaping the batch mixture into a green ceramic body, the pre-reacted crystalline particles present in the green ceramic body in an amount from equal to or greater than 0.01 wt. % to equal to or less than 5.0 wt. % of the total amount of inorganic particles in the green ceramic body;
• heating the green ceramic body at the one or more reactive sintering temperatures and for one or more times sufficient to cause the reactive alumina source, the reactive titania source, and the reactive silica source to reactively sinter and form the ceramic body with a solid state phase comprising crystalline aluminum titanate having the pseudobrookite type crystal structure and in an amount from 63 wt % to 84 wt %;
• and
• wherein a CTE of the ceramic body is less than or equal to 5.0×10−7/° C. over a temperature range from 25° C. to 800° C.