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 pseudobrookite crystalline particles consisting essentially of aluminum titanate and magnesium dititanate, wherein the pseudobrookite crystalline particles are stable with respect to the first quantity of particles at the one or more reactive sintering temperatures;
• shaping the mixture into a green ceramic body comprising the total amount of inorganic particles;
• and
• 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 to form the ceramic body with a predominant solid state phase, wherein the predominant solid state phase consists essentially of pseudobrookite crystalline aluminum titanate.