Thermal shock acoustic emission and microstructure of refractories I. High Alumina refractories (60–90% Al2O3)

Acoustic emission generated on thermal shocks makes it possible to investigate the processes of cracking that take place in high alumina refractories separately at heating and cooling stages, as well as on successive thermal shocks. It is dependent on the raw material type, technological process and the microstructure of products (i.e. number, size and shape of pores and cracks). The damage present after 20 thermal shocks in the material tested was illustrated by the microstructure examinations.