Jul. 15, 2019 - What makes a refractory castable durable enough to withstand the abuse of high mechanical impact applications? Toughness.

The conventional method of increasing toughness is to add wire fibers. Wire fibers are compressible and flexible. They help to dissipate the force of an impact over a larger surface area, reducing the potential for cracking. However, they also oxidize and adversely affect thermal shock resistance.

What makes a refractory castable tough enough to withstand the abuse of high mechanical impact at high temperatures? Coarse Aggregates.

Similar to wire fibers, coarse aggregates, as large as 1” in diameter, aid in the dissipation of the force of an impact. At high temperatures, coarse aggregate-containing castables have significant advantages over wire fiber-containing products.

HarbisonWalker International offers a wide variety of products that offer multiple benefits on installation and versatility and impact resistance. We also have products that combine the benefits of coarse aggregate technology with additives to provide aluminum penetration resistance.