Effects of andalusite and kyanite addition on the microstructure, thermo-mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of ultralow-cement bauxite-corundum castables

Ultralow-cement bauxite-corundum refractory castables are increasingly attracting attention because of the advantages in performance and cost. To improve its volume stability and high-temperature performance, andalusite and kyanite were incorporated into this type of refractory, respectively, and a comparative investigation of their effects on microstructure, thermo-mechanical properties, and slag corrosion resistance was carried out in this work. The expansion effects induced by the mullitization of these additives not only suppressed the sintering shrinkage but also made the matrix structure more compact and uniform, mainly owing to the generation of many new and strong mullite bonds. This improvement resulted in a significant increase in the refractoriness under load and creep resistance. This effect was far more pronounced for the andalusite-added castables, for which the RUL increased by 62 degrees C and the creep rate at the stationary stage decreased by 26%. Besides, adverse effects on microstructure and properties appeared when adding a higher amount of kyanite due to the excessive expansion. Moreover, the corrosion mechanisms of these refractory castables by refining slag were discussed, and the active role of andalusite addition in the corrosion resistance was also proposed.