CONVERSION OF CERTAIN REFRACTORY OXIDES TO A SUBOXIDE FORM AT HIGH TEMPERATURES *

A preliminary survey of the information published in the fields of chemistry and physics on the suboxide forms of SiO, TiO, ZrO, CrO, AlO, BO, VO, and CbO indicates a new field to be explored in determining the role of these suboxides in the service and failure of refractories and in the chemistry of slags. Several phenomena at the present time little understood, such as devitrification in reducing atmospheres, volatilization of refractory oxides, and certain slag types now classed as anomalous, may find their explanation in the decomposition of the oxides to low oxide forms under the favorable conditions of high temperature and low oxygen pressure which characterize much of their service.