Abstract

Since the refractory materials are immersed in aggressive environments, the deterioration is evident because they are affected by slags, gases or liquids that corrode the material. Materials used in the refractory lining of the rotary furnace of cement are densified materials with high resistance, particularly magnesia bricks (MgO) with second phases to improve their characteristics. Within this investigation, formulations with refractory powders were developed, which were uniaxially pressed at 100 MPa and sintered at 1650 °C for four hours. Up to a maximum of 20 wt.% of hercynite (Fe2Al2O4,) was added as second phase to the refractory matrix of magnesia (MgO). The morphological characteristics as well as the mechanical properties of the sintered samples, in a conventional electric furnace, were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). As a result, it was checked that, the temperature used in the experiments was not sufficient to obtain sintered specimens of the MgO powders (100 wt. %). The additions of Fe2Al2O4 helped to obtain morphologically densified specimens. A 10 and 20 wt. % of Fe2Al2O4 promoted the grain growth during the sintering process.