The corrosion resistance of microsilica-containing Al2O3–MgO and Al2O3–spinel castables

Microsilica addition in Al2O3–MgO and Al2O3–spinel castables helps to improve their flowability and partially accommodate their residual expansion after firing. Nevertheless, there is a lack of conclusive statements in the literature regarding the effects of microsilica on one of the main requisites for steel ladle refractories: corrosion resistance. In the present work, the performance of alumina–magnesia and alumina–spinel with or without microsilica when in contact with a steel ladle slag was evaluated based on three aspects: the material's physical properties, its chemical composition and the microstructural features before the slag attack. According to the attained results, microsilica induced liquid formation and pore growth during sintering, favoring the physical slag infiltration. Moreover, due to this liquid, CA6 was formed in the matrix, mainly for the Al2O3–spinel composition, which also favored the castable dissolution into the molten slag.