Low CTE cordierite honeycomb article and method of manufacturing same

A ceramic honeycomb article, comprising:

• a ceramic with a phase of cordierite which exhibits
• a transverse I ratio, IT, of ≦0.87;
• a coefficient of thermal expansion in an axial direction <1.0×10−7/° C.
• across the temperature range from 25° C. to 800° C.;
• and
• a total porosity, P, of 28%≦P≦33%.

A method of manufacturing a ceramic honeycomb article having a sintered phase cordierite composition, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plasticized cordierite precursor batch composition having
• an inorganic powder batch composition containing
• at least one talc source having a mean particle size of at least 8 μm and a morphology index of not more than 0.70;
• one or more alumina-forming sources, wherein the alumina-forming sources have a weighted average median particle size that does not exceed 5 μm;
• and
• at least 20 weight percent of an alumino-silicate source comprising at least one raw kaolin and, optionally, at least one calcined kaolin, wherein the weighted average median particle size of the kaolin+calcined kaolin mixture does not exceed 6 μm;
• and
• a binder system;
• forming an extruded green body from the plasticized cordierite precursor batch composition;
• and
• firing the green body under conditions effective to convert the green body into a ceramic article comprising a sintered phase cordierite composition, wherein the sintered phase cordierite composition exhibits
• a coefficient of thermal expansion, CTE, in an axial direction <1.5×10−7/° C. across a temperature range from 25° C. to 800° C.;
• and
• a total porosity, P, of ≧28%.