Development and Application of Refractory Materials for Molten Aluminum Applications

Two new refractory materials have been developed for use in molten aluminum contact applications that exhibit improved corrosion and wear resistance leading to improved thermal management through reduced heat losses caused by refractory thinning and wastage. The development of these materials was based on an understanding of the corrosion and wear mechanisms associated with currently used aluminum contact refractories through physical, chemical, and mechanical characterization and analysis performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Missouri, Rolla Rolla (UMR), along with their industrial partners, under the ITP Materials project “Multifunctional Metallic and Refractory Materials for Energy Efficient Handling of Molten Metals.” Spent castable refractories obtained from a natural gas‐fired reverberatory aluminum alloy melting furnace were analyzed, leading to identification of several refractory degradation mechanisms and strategies to produce improved materials. The newly developed materials have been validated through an R&D industrial trial.