Refractory Cements and Raw Materials

Refractory cements and raw materials are hard, heat resistant materials that are suitable for applications which require high temperature strength, wear resistance, electrical or thermal insulation, or other specialized characteristics. Refractory cements are used to patch or line furnaces and bond bricks or joints in high temperature applications. Most refractory cements consist of a mixture of a binder or clinker and a coarser aggregate. Clinker is a fused mineral or mineral mixture, such as alumina or bauxite and lime, which is crushed into a fine powder. Aggregates are coarser, granular materials that are added to mortar, grout, and cement to impart special properties such as refractoriness and erosion or oxidation resistance. Refractory raw materials include products such as alumina ceramics, fire clay, bricks, pre-cast shapes, aluminate cement, and monolithics. Monolithic refractories are liners fabricated without joints by ramming, gunning or casting refractory cements in place.