Microstructure and physical properties of steel-ladle purging plug refractory materials

Three different castables were prepared as steel-ladle purging-plug refractory materials: corundum-based low-cement castable (C-LCC), corundum–spinel-based low-cement castable (C-S-LCC), and no-cement corundum–spinel castable (C-S-NCC) (hydratable alumina ρ-Al₂O₃ bonded). The properties of these castables were characterized with regard to water demand/flow ability, cold crushing strength (CCS), cold modulus of rupture (CMoR), permanent linear change (PLC), apparent porosity, and hot modulus of rupture (HMoR). The results show the CCS/CMoR and HMoR of C-LCC and C-S-LCC are greater than those of the castable C-S-NCC. According to the microstructure analysis, the sintering effect and the bonding type of the matrix material differ among the three castables. The calcium hexaluminate (CA₆) phase in the matrix of C-LCC enhances the cold and hot mechanical strengths. In the case of C-S-LCC, the CA₆ and 2CaO·2MgO·14Al₂O₃ (C₂M₂A₁₄) ternary phases generated from the matrix can greatly increase the cold and hot mechanical strengths. In the case of the no-cement castable, sintering becomes difficult, resulting in a lower mechanical strength.