Cordierite porous ceramic honeycomb articles with delayed microcrack evolution

A method for forming a porous ceramic honeycomb article, the method comprising:

• forming a batch mixture comprising cordierite-forming raw materials, glass-forming raw materials, at least one ceramic processing aid and water;
• extruding the batch mixture into a green honeycomb article;
• firing the green honeycomb article under conditions sufficient to produce the porous ceramic honeycomb article having a primary cordierite phase and an intercrystalline glass phase, wherein, after firing, the porous ceramic honeycomb article exhibits an as-fired microcrack parameter Nb3≦0.06;
• washcoating and calcining the porous ceramic honeycomb article, wherein the porous ceramic honeycomb article exhibits a coated microcrack parameter Nb3≦0.14 and a coated E500° C./E25° C. ratio ≦1.06 after washcoating and calcining;
• and
• thermally treating the porous ceramic honeycomb article, wherein at least a first portion of the porous ceramic honeycomb article exhibits a first treated microcrack parameter Nb3≧0.20, and a first treated mean coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 12×10−7/° C. over a temperature range of 25° C. to 800° C. after the thermal treating;
• wherein the primary cordierite phase comprises domains of cordierite crystallites having a domain length parameter ≧40 microns, the cordierite crystallites having a subparallel orientation with one another within the domains, and
• further wherein an orientation of the cordierite crystallites within the domains differs between adjacent domains.