WHAT DO REFRACTORY MATERIALS CONSIST OF?
Refractories generally consist of oxides or mixtures of oxides, notable exceptions being carbon, carbides and nitrides. The main refractory compounds are based on the oxides or mixtures of oxides of magnesium, aluminium, silicon, calcium, chromium and zirconium. Some are natural, others are man-made. In common with all other technologies, ceramics has its own particular jargon and this is often a source of confusion to people entering the industry, even those who enter with a background in Chemistry. The art and science of ceramics are closely associated with the earth and other earth sciences such as geology, mineralogy and petrography. Much of the terminology used within ceramics has been borrowed from these disciplines. WHAT TYPES OF REFRACTORIES ARE THERE? Refractories are supplied in two main forms – shaped or unshaped. Shaped products are supplied in the form of bricks, blocks or special shapes, and can be either fired or unfired. Bricks are the most common form of shaped refract
