Purified ceramic materials and methods for making the same

A ceramic material comprising:

• a ceramic phase;
• a glass phase;
• and
• at least one of:
• a creep rate of less than about 5×10−7 h−1 at 1180° C. and 1000 psi in a first portion of the material;
• a creep rate of less than about 2×10−6 h−1 at 1250° C. and 1000 psi in the first portion;
• or
• a creep rate of less than about 8×10−6 h−1 at 1300° C. and 625 psi in the first portion.

A ceramic material comprising:

• a ceramic phase;
• a glass phase;
• and
• at least one of:
• a resistivity of greater than or equal to 800 ohm-cm at 1500° C. in a first portion of the material;
• a resistivity of greater than or equal to 1000 ohm-cm at 1500° C. in the first portion;
• or
• a resistivity of greater than or equal to 2000 ohm-cm at 1500° C. in the first portion.

A method for treating a ceramic body comprising a ceramic phase and a glass phase, the method comprising:

• heating the ceramic body to a treatment temperature;
• contacting a surface of the ceramic body with an anode;
• contacting an opposing second surface of the ceramic body with a cathode;
• and
• applying an electric field between the anode and cathode to create an electric potential difference across the ceramic body between the anode and cathode.

A method for treating a ceramic body comprising a ceramic phase and a glass phase comprising at least one mobile cation, the method comprising:

• heating the ceramic body to a treatment temperature;
• contacting at least one surface of the ceramic body with at least one halogen-containing compound;
• and
• reacting the at least one mobile cation with the at least one halogen-containing compound to produce a treated ceramic material comprising at least one of an alkali content of less than or equal to about 100 ppm by weight or an iron content of less than or equal to about 300 ppm by weight.