Chemical wear of Al2O3–MgO–C bricks by air and basic slag

Al2O3–MgO–C (AMC) refractories are used in steelmaking vessels such as ladles, where they are part of the working lining's bottom and walls. Taking into account the conditions during the ladle operation, AMC refractories with high-melt corrosion resistance are required to provide good service performance. Moreover, due to the presence of graphite, AMC bricks should have low susceptibility to attack by oxidant gases. In this paper, the oxidation of commercial AMC refractories by air between 700 and 1400 °C and their corrosion by ladle basic slag at 1450 °C are examined. The experimental conditions for the chemical evaluation are similar to those to which AMC linings are exposed in some steps of the ladle operation. Differences in the chemical wear caused by both of the reagents among the studied bricks are associated to their differences in composition and microstructural and textural characteristics. In addition, the thermal evolution of each AMC refractory is considered.