The wettability of zirconia refractories with iron and aluminum melts

Conclusions An investigation of the wettability of zirconia refractories with molten aluminum and iron showed that regardless of the amount of stabilizing oxide in the material the refractories are wetted more rapidly with the molten iron. Aluminum and iron melts both wet the refractory more rapidly when the latter is produced from a cubic solid solution containing a large amount of stabilizing oxide.When wetted with the melts of aluminum and iron a zirconia refractory acquires a zonal structure, the ZrO₂ in the reaction zone being partly destabilized.Translated from Ogneupory, No. 8, pp. 35–38, August, 1976.