EFFECT OF REDUCING GASES ON THE TRANSVERSE STRENGTH OF FIRECLAY BRICKS1

It was reported that fireclay brick, when heated in the presence of carbon monoxide, were disintegrated by the progressive deposition of finely divided carbon at the “iron spots” in the brick. The conditions necessary for the occurrence of this phenomenon were not definitely known, although the known reversibility of the catalytic reaction around 650°C and the outcome of small scale experiments indicated that disintegration would not occur above this temperature. To obtain more definite information on this score, the effect of city gas at 550°C and 1100°C on the transverse strength of three brands of fireclay brick was determined. No significant changes in strength occurred at 1100°C. At 550°C two of the brands suffered very significant decreases in strength, but the other brand was unaffected, although it had the highest iron content.     

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF LOW-FIRED GROGS ON PROPERTIES OF SOFT-MUD BRICK*

Soft-mud brick were made from various mixtures of Hudson River clay and grog prepared by calcining the clay at 500°, 700°, and 900°C., and rate of drying tests were carried out. The brick were fired to cones 012, 08, and 04, and a special fast fire to cone 08 was also run. The various properties were compared with those of regular mix brick and all-clay brick. Brick made of a mixture of clay with 35% of 900°C. grog had particularly satisfactory properties such as to afford definite advantages as regards faster drying and accelerated firing.     

ELASTIC BEHAVIOR AND CREEP OF REFRACTORY BRICK UNDER TENSILE AND COMPRESSIVE LOADS*

Specimens cut from 9-in, brick of nine brands of firebrick, including two high-alumina, four fire-clay, two siliceous fire-clay, and one silica, were subjected to tensile and compressive creep tests at eleven temperatures from 25° to 950°C., inclusive. The duration of each test was approximately 240 days. Small length changes, independent of stress direction (that is, compressive or tensile), occurred at the lower temperatures. The lowest temperatures at which creep was significant were (a) high-alumina brick, 700° to 850°C.; (b) fire-clay brick, 600° to 700°C.; and (c) siliceous and silica brick, 950°C. Creep results under compressive stress could not be correlated with results under tensile stress. Specimens of different brands, at 950° C. showed greatly different capacities to carry load. Repeated heatings caused growth of silica brick of approximately 0.27%. Moduli of elasticity at room temperature were determined before and after the various heat-treatments and resultant changes were recorded. The changes in moduli were 15% or greater for silica and siliceous brick and 4% or less for the fire-clay brick. The moduli of elasticity at room temperature were approximately 2.7–4.3 × 10⁶ for high-alumina brick, 0.6–1.9 × 10⁶ for fire-clay brick, 0.3–1.7 × 10⁶ for siliceous fire-clay brick, and 0.4 × 10⁶ for silica brick.     

PROGRESS REPORT ON INVESTIGATION OF FIRECLAY BRICK AND THE CLAYS USED IN THEIR PREPARATION1

This is a progress report of an extensive study of fire clays and fireclay brick. It includes the results of a preliminary study of clays representative of those used in the manufacture of refractories throughout the United States. Chemical analyses and a summary of physical tests are given of both fire clays and the brick manufactured from them. The thermal expansion behavior of the fire clays fired at 1400°C and those of the fire brick “as received” from the manufacturer and also after firing at 1400°C, 1500°C, and 1600°C were studied and the materials classified into groups having characteristic thermal expansions. The moduli of elasticity and rupture were determined at 20°C, 550°C, and 1000°C. The resistance of the brick to spalling in a water-quenching test is expressed in an empirical relation correlating the elasticity, strength, coefficient of expansion, and percentage of grog used in compounding the brick batches. Data are presented on individual bricks made by the same manufacturer showing probable reasons for great differences in the number of quenchings required to cause spalling in the water-dip test.     

THE REVERSIBLE THERMAL EXPANSION OF REFRACTORY MATERIALS

The reversible thermal expansion from 15–1000°C was measured for kaolin, siliceous and aluminous fire clays, quartzite, alumina, magnesia, and carborundum, after preliminary burnings at cones 06, 9, 14 and 20, and as well as for English commercial silica bricks before and after use in a coke oven and the roof of a steel furnace. Kaolin and bauxitic fire clay after calcination have a regular reversible thermal expansion which does not vary much with the temperature of calcination. Siliceous fire clays, after calcination at cone 06 (980°C) or cone 9 (1280°C) display irregularities (departures from uniformity) in their expansion. Between 500° and 600°C they show a large expansion due to contained quartz and on cooling the contraction in that region is larger than the corresponding expansion. Moreover, the expansion between 100° and 250°C after being fired to cone 9 (1280°C) exceeds the average. After calcination at higher temperatures, cone 14 (1410°C) or cone 20 (1530°C). these materials gradually lose these peculiarities until on incipient vitrification a linear expansion similar to that of kaolin is attained. This change is due to the destruction of quartz by its interaction with the clay material and fluxes; it takes place most easily in a fine-grained, rather friable clay such as ball clay. The previous thermal treatment necessary for a particular clay in order to obtain regular expansion in use can only be determined by trial. It can be stated with confidence that in such a piece of apparatus as a glass pot or crucible, a distinct gain will result from maintenance at a high temperature for some time before use, but that the red heat of an ordinary pot arch is useless for the purpose. An increase in the porosity of a fire clay was accompanied by a corresponding decrease in expansion between 15° and 1000°C until a porosity of 50% was attained. Further increase in porosity produced very little change in the expansion. No irregularities in expansion were shown by magnesia brick, carborundum, or alumina bonded with 10% of ball clay. Welsh quartzite with lime bond, either unfired or after burning at cone 06, had a large expansion to 550 °C and a much larger expansion from 550–600 °C due to the inversion of α to β quartz while from 600–1000°C a slight contraction took place. Firing to cone 9 converted part of the quartz into cristobalite, thus increasing the expansion from 200–250°C. This conversion was considerably increased on burning for two hours at cone 14, which greatly reduced the expansion from 550–600°C with a corresponding increase of that from 200–250°C. The conversion of the quartz into cristobalite was completed by a further heating for two hours at cone 20. Determinations of refractive indices and specific gravities confirmed these results. Flint inverted to cristobalite with greater ease than quartz. Commercial silica brick consisted chiefly of cristobalite and unconverted quartz and showed a large expansion up to 300°C, followed by a considerably smaller but regular expansion to 550°C. From 550° to 600°C the rate of expansion was considerably increased, but above 600°C the change in dimensions was small. The innermost exposed layer of a silica brick after use in a coke oven was an impure glass with a steady expansion, but only half as large as that of the layers of brick behind, which was made for shelling away. A silica brick after use in a steel furnace was divided into four layers. The layer exposed to the furnace heat was practically all cristobalite and silicates, the next layer the same, the third layer showed some α to β quartz expansion as well as the α to β cristobalite expansion, while the fourth (outermost) layer exposed to air was similar to the brick before use. In these bricks exposure to high temperature had evidently completed the change from quartz to cristobalite which had been largely effected in the kiln during manufacture. Little or no tridymite had formed. The reversible thermal expansion from 15–1000°C of the commercial silica brick examined was 1.1 to 1.3%, about double that of fire clay brick.     

Thermoelectric Properties of Reduced Polycrystalline Sr0.5Ba0.5Nb2O6 Fabricated Via Solution Combustion Synthesis

The thermoelectric properties of bulk polycrystalline Sr_0.5Ba_0.5Nb₂O₆ (SBN50) fabricated via solution combustion synthesis (SCS) and reduced at temperatures of 900°C–1150°C were explored. The Seebeck coefficient (S) of all samples increased over the entire range of testing temperatures; a peak S value of ?281 μV/K was obtained at 930 K for the sample reduced at 900°C. A metal‐insulator transition was observed in the electrical conductivity (σ) of samples reduced at 1000°C–1150°C, whereas only semiconducting electrical behavior was observed for the sample reduced at 900°C. An optimal balance between S and σ was achieved for the pellet reduced at 1000°C, which exhibited a maximum power factor of 1.78 μW/cm·K² at 930 K. Over a temperature range of 300–930 K, the thermal conductivity (κ) of as‐processed and reduced (1000°C) SBN50 was found to be 1.03–1.4 and 1.46–1.84 W/m·K, respectively. A maximum figure of merit (ZT) of 0.09 was obtained at 930 K for the 1000°C‐reduced sample. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the Nb²⁺ peak intensity increased at higher reduction temperatures, which could possibly lead to a distortion of NbO₆ octahedra and a decrease in the Seebeck coefficient.     

REACTION BETWEEN COPPER REVERBERATORY SLAG AND REFRACTORIES*

Small slag cylinders placed on top of different refractory brick were heated at 1300° and 1400°C. Depth and width of reaction and diffusion zones were measured, and thin sections through the penetrations mere studied.     

EFFECT OF MOLTEN ALUMINUM ON VARIOUS REFRACTORY BRICK*

To study the effect of molten aluminum on refractory brick with a view toward explaining some of the brick failures in aluminum melting furnaces, the following test was conducted. Brick of different compositions and from various manufacturers were placed on end in the bottom of an electrically heated ladle to which molten aluminum was added. After holding the molten aluminum in contact with the brick for thirty-five days, it was poured out and the ladle was allowed to cool slowly to room temperature. A study of the brick revealed that some failed by penetration of the aluminum into the brick accompanied by a reaction between the aluminum and the brick. This penetration was less with the denser brick than with the more porous ones. Of the brick tested, there was the least reaction between aluminum and the chrome brick and most between aluminum and silica brick. Many other factors, however, must be considered when deciding which brick is the most economical to use in aluminum melting.     

OUTLINE OF REFRACTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY1

One of the greatest obstacles to the development of better refractories for the iron and steel industry has been the failure of the iron and steel men to give refractory manufacturers accurate detailed analysis of chemical, physical and thermal conditions to which the refractories are to be subjected. This paper summarizes briefly some of the conditions to be encountered in the major processes. Blast furnace refractories may be divided according to requirements as follows: Hearth and Bosh brick should withstand the scouring action of molten iron and acid slag at temperatures around 1800°C. Inwall brick should be impervious to hot, reducing gases, should resist the sand blast action of the from particles of ore carried by the gas, should have a low coefficient of thermal expansion and should possess sufficient compressive strength to support the weight of the upper part of the furnace. Top brick should be as dense and resistant to abrasion as possible. Downcomer, Dustcatcher and Gas Line brick should be dense and resist sand blast action of gas heavily laden by particles of charge. Hot Blast Main and Bustle Pipe brick should be of low heat conductivity. Hot Blast Stove brick should not vitrify at 900°C, should have maximum capacity for absorbing and giving off heat, and be of high compressive strength. The by-product coke oven is becoming a big factor in the refractory fields and has major requirements as follows: Canals and Ovens require brick of high thermal conductivity which will resist sudden changes in temperature and will not be affected by reducing gases at high temperatures. Checker brick should have great capacity for absorbing heat. Bessemer converters require brick resistant to slag at temperatures from 1600° to 1700°C, the nature of the slag being determined by whether the process is acid or basic. Requirements for open hearth furnaces are as follows: Roof brick (both acid and basic furnaces) must not only be capable of maintaining an arch but should withstand as much as possible the action of iron oxides at temperatures of 1800°C. Checker brick (both acid and basic furnaces) should possess a maximum capacity for absorbing and giving off heat, and a minimum chemical affinity for oxides from charge. Ports (both acid and basic) must withstand the action of slag splashes, also direct action of flame. The hearth of the furnace consists of several courses of brick (acid or basic depending on the process) upon which is built the hearth proper by means of many layers of crushed refractory of the same nature. This crushed material must frit together at high temperatures without excessive softening.     

CORRECTION OF AN EXTREME CASE OF CRACKING IN THE DRYING OF BRICK1

I. In the manufacture of stiff-mud brick from a highly colloidal clay of low permeability to water, drying breakage was extremely high even though the drying was conducted at a very slow rate under high humidity conditions. Laboratory investigation yielded two methods of correcting the faults: (1) Preheating the clay for half an hour at a temperature between 400 °C and 500 °C increased the permeability to such an extent that brick made from the preheated clay could be dried rapidly without cracking. (2) Coagulating chemicals, such as aluminium chloride, ferric chloride, sodium chloride, and hydrochloric acid, in conjunction with moderate additions of grog, increased the permeability and thus improved the drying properties of the clay. II. Plant scale tests using ferric chloride, sodium chloride, and grog resulted in the production of brick which could be dried safely in a reasonable time. The fired brick were improved in quality as to strength and color. III. The chemical treatment of the clay using 1% ferric chloride and 0.5% sodium chloride with 10 to 15% grog was adopted for plant operation and resulted in increased production, lower cost of manufacture, and improved quality of product.     

THE WATER SMOKING OF CLAYS1

Experimental Method. —The water smoking behaviors of two plastic brick clays, one shale and one fire-clay were studied by heating 4-in. cubes at different rates, two thermo-elements being buried in the brick and two others placed against the exterior surface. Results of Conclusions. —To save time in water smoking, the ware should be previously dried not far from 100°C, good circulation should be provided in the kiln and the temp. of the interior of the product should not lag appreciably behind that of the kiln. It should be possible to water smoke heavy clay products in 15 hours with heating rate of 20°C per hour.     

RELATION OF CRUSHING STRENGTH OF SILICA BRICK AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURES TO OTHER PHYSICAL PROPERTIES*

The failure at elevated temperatures under constant load for silica brick is reported using the Iupuy load test apparatus. The crushing strength at 1500°F, 1800°F. 2100°F, and 2400°F is recorded, as well as the crushing strength at room temperature. The size of test piece utilized normally was 1 by 1 by 2′/2 inches. A definite relationship is shown to exist between the strength at room temperature and that at elevated temperatures. The effect of variation in lime content, bats content, and fluxes is also reported. Data were obtained on brick made from three different quartzites. Additional physical data are reported to give information concerning the properties of the brick tested.     

Synthesis,characterization, and ligating behavior of poly[N,N‐p‐phenylene bisacryl (methacryl)amide]

Monomers of diacylated amine were synthesized by the reaction of acryloyl chloride or methacryloyl chloride with p‐phenylenediamine. Heating DMF solution of these monomers at 75°C in the presence of AIBN as an initiator gave the corresponding polymer. The solid metallopolymer complexes with different metal salts were isolated either by the in situ addition of the monomer, metal salt, and initiator at 75°C or by the reaction of the isolated polymer with the metal salt at 150°C. The monomers, polymers, and their metallopolymer compounds were characterized using elemental analysis, IR, NMR (¹H and ¹³C), and MS spectral measurements in addition to thermal analysis. The IR data showed that the coordinating atoms of the polymer are dependent on the reaction temperature. The ion selectivity of the isolated polymers toward different metal ions either for a single metal ion or in a mixture as aqueous solutions are studied by the batch techniques. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) measurements showed that both polymers are more selective to Hg²⁺ and Pb²⁺. The morphology of the polymers and their metallopolymer complexes at different temperature was also studied. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 2412–2422, 2006     

High-temperature multilayer actuators based on CuO added BiScO3–PbTiO3 piezoceramics and Ag electrodes

High-temperature multilayer actuators based on Cu doping 0.367BiScO₃–0.633PbTiO₃ ceramic slices and Ag electrodes were prepared by low-temperature co-firing technology. The 0.3 wt% CuO addition has effectively reduced the sintering temperature of the ceramic from ~1080 to 930°C, thus the multilayer actuator were sintered at 930°C which is lower than the Ag melting point, that is, 961°C. The 4.3 mm thick multilayer actuator is composed of a series of ~44-μm-thick ceramic slices and ~2-μm-thick Ag electrodes. As a result, a ≥0.13% strain with nm-scale preciseness can be produced in the actuator by 200 V driving voltage not only at room temperature but also at a high temperature up to 200°C. This actuator is essential for industrial machinery that requires nm-scale position control at 20-200°C.     

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE STAINING OF SILICA BRICK*

The staining of silica brick was found to occur in a critical temperature range of 900°‘ to 1000°C. Concurrently the brick had to be “soaked“ in this temperature range and exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere. Stained brick could be “cleaned up” or staining prevented by manipulation of the foregoing set of conditions as well as by additions of 4.5% or more of lime. The experimental data examined in the light of the system CaO-Fe₂O₃-SiO₂ suggest that the colorant is the mineral dicalcium ferrite.     

ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY OF SPECIALIZED REFRACTORIES*

Tests were made of the electrical resistivity of twelve commercially used special refractory brick at temperatures up to 1300°C. Standard 9-inch brick were tested using apparatus which is standard equipment and readily obtainable. Temperature lag was eliminated by constant heating over a prolonged period of time at given temperatures. Results obtained indicate a decrease in resistivity with prolonged heating for some classes of refractories. Those refractories composed of minerals of the same petrographic classification appear to undergo the least change.     

SPALLING AND LOSS IN COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF FIRE BRICK1

A preliminary report of the loss of compressive strength when fireclay brick from the Pacific Northwest were subjected to a series of heat treatments to 1350° and 1250°C. It illustrates some of the variations of heat treatment in the manufacturer's kilns and the differences between the high siliceous type of fire brick and the vitrifying clay type with lower free silica content. It is possible that a satisfactory spalling test may be developed in this direction.     

METALLURGICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REFRACTORIES IN THE ELECTROTHERMIC METALLURGY OF ZINC1

Refractory brick for lining electrothermic dry distillation furnaces must have a melting point of not less than 1600°C, must retain their strength at temperatures of 1400–1500°C, must be non-porous, and of uniform size. For lining electrothermic smelting furnaces, in which a liquid slag is produced, they must in addition to having these qualities be resistant to the corrosive action of highly heated slags which may be either strongly acid or strongly basic. The condensers are similar for both types of furnace. The brick for lining them need not have a high melting point but must be dense and of uniform size and must be very low in free iron oxide to withstand the disintegrating effect of carbon monoxide in the cooler portion of the condenser.     

COMPARISON OF REPEATED REHEAT TESTS OF VARIOUS GRADES OF FIREBRICK WITH SERVICE RESULTS

Representative brands of Navy-approved class A brick (60% alumina), class B brick (superduty), and special firebrick (in a price group above the 60% alumina brick) were installed in a naval boiler operating continuously at the Naval Boiler and Turbine Laboratory. The permanent volume change of the various brands, subjected to repeated reheat tests at 2912°F., is compared with their service life.     

THE EFFECT OF STEAM ON THE TRANSVERSE STRENGTH OF FIRECLAY BRICKS1

In connection with an investigation of checker brick for carbureters of water-gas machines, it was considered desirable to find out whether or not fireclay brick suffered an appreciable decrease in transverse strength when exposed to the action of steam at a high temperature. Except for occasional references to the “destructive action” of steam, no information on this score was found in the literature. This paper describes experiments in which standard straight bricks at 11,00°C were subjected to the action of steam at the same temperature and the resulting change in transverse strength measured. No significant decrease in strength due to the action of steam alone was found.