Sintering Complexity of Magnesia-chrome Refractories

Magnesia-chrome refractories are appropriate to work under cyclic temperatures or atmospheric conditions because some oxides of chrome ore readily release oxygen(are reduced) upon heating and pick up oxygen(are oxidized) upon cooling or upon changing the atmosphere. They have been ideal lining materials for RH degassers for many years, despite challenging of Crdisposal issue after using. The varieties of magnesia-chrome refractories depend on their raw materials and burning temperatures, which could be well demonstrated by their microstructures. But Indian chrome concentrate cannot be directly used in the production of magnesia-chrome bricks because of reducing sintering density. Silicate bonded magnesia-chrome bricks are produced with low purity magnesia after burning at relatively lower temperatures, resulting in liquid film forming as silicate bond around chrome ore particles. Direct bonded and rebonded fused-grains magnesia-chrome refractories are made of high purity magnesia or fused magnesia-chrome grains, forming euhedral and intergranular secondary chromite spinels as the main feature. The amount of secondary spinel increases with the rising burning temperature, leading to increasing hot modulus of rupture and overall hot properties as well. It is important to burn magnesia-chrome bricks under weakly reducing atmosphere. The oxygen content of burning atmosphere from 800 ℃ to 1 650 ℃ would better controlled below 0.5% to increase the burnt strength and to avoid inner cracks and loose bonding of magnesia-chrome bricks, while the atmosphere contains 3%-6% Ounder most economical firing condition.