{"id":17848,"date":"2026-04-19T16:35:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T11:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/?p=17848"},"modified":"2026-04-19T22:22:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T16:52:19","slug":"aluminium-titanate-dpf-ceramic-refractory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/aluminium\/compounds\/aluminium-titanate-dpf-ceramic-refractory.html","title":{"rendered":"Aluminium Titanate (Al\u2082TiO\u2085): Technical Guide to Zero\u2011Expansion Ceramics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Aluminium titanate<\/strong> is a high\u2011performance engineered ceramic with an exceptionally low coefficient of thermal expansion. It is a stoichiometric blend of alumina and titania, appearing as a white to pale yellow, porous, lightweight ceramic. It excels in environments prone to thermal shock, making it the gold standard for diesel particulate filters and molten metal handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <strong>Basic Identification<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Chemical Formula:<\/strong> Al\u2082TiO\u2085 (also written as Al\u2082O\u2083\u00b7TiO\u2082)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Alternative Names:<\/strong> Aluminium(III) titanate, Tielite<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Molecular Weight:<\/strong> 181.83\u202fg\/mol<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CAS Number:<\/strong> 12004-39-6<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Appearance:<\/strong> White powder; fired components are porous, pale yellow\u2011white ceramic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <strong>Physical Properties<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Property<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Aluminum Titanate<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Melting Point<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">~1860\u202f\u00b0C (3380\u202f\u00b0F)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Thermal Expansion Coefficient<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Near zero: 0.2 \u2013 1.5 \u00d7 10\u207b\u2076 \/K<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Density<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">~3.7\u202fg\/cm\u00b3 (theoretical); commercial parts are porous and lighter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Thermal Conductivity<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Very low (excellent insulator)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Solubility<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Insoluble in water and strong acids<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finished blocks feel light and chalky due to engineered micro\u2011porosity. The material insulates so effectively that one side can be heated red\u2011hot while the opposite side remains cool enough to hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. <strong>Chemical Behavior &amp; Synthesis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.1 The Micro\u2011Cracking Mechanism \u2013 Zero Thermal Expansion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During manufacturing, as the ceramic cools, internal crystals shrink in different directions, creating millions of microscopic cracks throughout the structure. When heated later, the individual crystals expand into these empty cracks, leaving the overall dimensions unchanged. This unique mechanism allows aluminum titanate to resist thermal shock that would shatter ordinary ceramics.<\/p><div class=\"pai-ad\" style=\"min-height:250px;visibility:hidden;\"><span style=\"display: block; text-align: center; font-size: 10px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; color: #999999;\">Ads<\/span>\r\n<!-- Display-300x250-1 -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3838168351244230\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9933646018\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.2 Synthesis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Al\u2082O\u2083 + TiO\u2082 + Heat \u2192 Al\u2082TiO\u2085<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">High\u2011purity alumina and titania powders are blended, pressed into shape, and fired above 1400\u202f\u00b0C. Magnesium oxide (or other stabilizers) is often added to prevent decomposition back into alumina and titania at lower temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. <strong>Industrial Applications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.1 Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Modern diesel engines produce soot. To meet emissions standards, exhaust passes through a porous aluminum titanate honeycomb block. Soot traps in the pores. During regeneration, fuel is injected into the filter to burn off soot at ~800\u202f\u00b0C. The near\u2011zero expansion of aluminum titanate allows it to survive these extreme thermal cycles without cracking.<\/p><div class=\"pai-ad\" style=\"min-height:250px;visibility:hidden;\"><span style=\"display: block; text-align: center; font-size: 10px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; color: #999999;\">Ads<\/span>\r\n<!-- Display-300x250-1 -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3838168351244230\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9933646018\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.2 Molten Metal Foundries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When pouring molten aluminum (700\u202f\u00b0C), normal metal pipes melt and standard ceramics shatter from thermal shock. Aluminum titanate is used for pouring spouts, ladles, and riser tubes, enabling smooth, clean metal transfer without fracturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. <strong>Safety &amp; Hazard Management<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>General Safety:<\/strong> Aluminum titanate is chemically inert and non\u2011toxic, similar to crushed rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Route of Exposure<\/th><th>Effect<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Inhalation<\/strong><\/td><td>Nuisance dust; prolonged exposure may cause mechanical irritation.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Skin Contact<\/strong><\/td><td>Inert; may act as a drying abrasive.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Eye Contact<\/strong><\/td><td>Physical scratching hazard (like grit).<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Ingestion<\/strong><\/td><td>Non\u2011toxic; passes through unabsorbed.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>PPE:<\/strong> N95 dust mask (when cutting\/grinding), safety goggles, standard gloves.<\/p><div class=\"pai-ad\" style=\"min-height:250px;visibility:hidden;\"><span style=\"display: block; text-align: center; font-size: 10px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; color: #999999;\">Ads<\/span>\r\n<!-- Display-300x250-1 -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3838168351244230\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9933646018\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>First Aid:<\/strong> Flush eyes with water; rinse skin; leave dusty area if inhaling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. <strong>Storage &amp; Handling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Container:<\/strong> Shrink\u2011wrapped pallets or cardboard boxes for finished filters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Atmosphere:<\/strong> Normal air; unaffected by humidity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Standard industrial warehousing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disposal:<\/strong> Virgin ceramic is non\u2011hazardous. Used DPF filters contain trapped soot and oils and must be recycled or solvent\u2011washed at authorized facilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. <strong>Environmental Impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virgin aluminum titanate is environmentally benign \u2013 composed of common elements (aluminum, titanium, oxygen). Its primary environmental benefit is preventing vast quantities of diesel soot from entering the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. <strong>Comparison with Other Refractory Aluminum Compounds<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Compound<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Formula<\/th><th>Primary Nature<\/th><th>Defining Thermal Trait<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Aluminum Titanate<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Al\u2082TiO\u2085<\/td><td>Porous advanced ceramic<\/td><td>Near\u2011zero thermal expansion<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Aluminum Silicate<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Al\u2082SiO\u2085<\/td><td>Dense ceramic brick<\/td><td>High melting point<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Aluminum Nitride<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">AlN<\/td><td>Dense electrical insulator<\/td><td>High thermal conductivity<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. <strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: Why does the DPF have to be porous?<\/strong><br>A: If the ceramic were solid, exhaust gases could not pass through, choking the engine. The porosity allows gases to flow while trapping soot particles.<\/p><div class=\"pai-ad\" style=\"min-height:250px;visibility:hidden;\"><span style=\"display: block; text-align: center; font-size: 10px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; color: #999999;\">Ads<\/span>\r\n<!-- Display-300x250-1 -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3838168351244230\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9933646018\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: If it\u2019s so heat\u2011resistant, why not build entire engines from it?<\/strong><br>A: Aluminum titanate trades mechanical strength for thermal stability. The micro\u2011cracks that enable zero expansion also make it brittle and prone to fracture under impact or mechanical stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:75px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. <strong>Summary Data Sheet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Property<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Value<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Chemical Name<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Aluminum Titanate<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Formula<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Al\u2082TiO\u2085<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Appearance<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">White powder \/ porous yellow\u2011white ceramic<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Melting Point<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">1860\u202f\u00b0C<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Defining Trait<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Near\u2011zero thermal expansion, thermal shock resistance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Primary Utility<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Diesel particulate filters, molten metal handling<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Hazard Note<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Biologically safe; physical dust hazard only<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/p><script>document.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){\n        if(window.innerWidth <= 768){\n            if (\"immediate\" === \"delay\") {\n                setTimeout(function(){document.querySelectorAll(\".pai-ad\").forEach(el=>el.style.visibility=\"visible\")},0);\n            } else if (\"immediate\" === \"scroll\") {\n                window.addEventListener(\"scroll\",function(){\n                    let s=window.scrollY\/(document.body.scrollHeight-window.innerHeight);\n                    if(s>0.1){\n                        document.querySelectorAll(\".pai-ad\").forEach(el=>el.style.visibility=\"visible\");\n                    }\n                });\n            } else {\n                document.querySelectorAll(\".pai-ad\").forEach(el=>el.style.visibility=\"visible\");\n            }\n        } else {\n            document.querySelectorAll(\".pai-ad\").forEach(el=>el.remove());\n        }\n    });<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aluminium titanate is a high\u2011performance engineered ceramic with an exceptionally low coefficient of thermal expansion. It is a stoichiometric blend of alumina and titania, appearing as a white to pale yellow, porous, lightweight ceramic. It excels in environments prone to thermal shock, making it the gold standard for diesel particulate filters and molten metal handling. &#8230; <a title=\"Aluminium Titanate (Al\u2082TiO\u2085): Technical Guide to Zero\u2011Expansion Ceramics\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/aluminium\/compounds\/aluminium-titanate-dpf-ceramic-refractory.html\" aria-label=\"Read more about Aluminium Titanate (Al\u2082TiO\u2085): Technical Guide to Zero\u2011Expansion Ceramics\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":18038,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4155],"tags":[4141,4142],"class_list":["post-17848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-compounds","tag-aluminium-compounds","tag-aluminum-formula"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17848\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aluminiummagazine.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}