Bonding Mechanisms of Refractory Binders

Bonding Mechanisms of Refractory Binders

Refractory binders play a vital role in the formation and stability of refractory materials in high temperature applications. Understanding the bonding mechanism of refractory binders is essential to optimize their performance and ensure the integrity of the refractory structure.Fireramo has compiled the fundamentals behind the bonding mechanism of refractory binders to give you a better understanding of refractory binders.

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What is Refractory Binder?

Refractory binders are glues that bind refractory bricks, castables and fibers together. They play a key role in ensuring the structural integrity and longevity of refractory linings. These linings protect industrial equipment from extreme temperatures, chemical corrosion and mechanical stress.

Six typical bonding mechanisms for refractory adhesives

The bonding mechanism of refractory materials varies depending on the chemical properties of the binder. There are usually six typical bonding mechanisms. Generally, one type of binder has its own specific bonding mechanism, but sometimes several bonding mechanisms coexist. These binding mechanisms can be either primary or secondary. This is very important for material design, and sometimes special requirements can be achieved by a certain binding agent with different binding mechanisms.

Hydrodynamic bonding

Hydraulic bonding is a hydration reaction between a binding agent and water at room temperature. For example, various types of cements produce their strength by means of a hydration bonding mechanism.

Chemical bonding

It is a chemical reaction between a binding agent and a promoter or between a binding agent and a refractory material at room temperature, or a chemical reaction that occurs when heated, resulting in the formation of a compound with a binding effect. For example, the addition of sodium silicate (water glass) binder to a sodium fluosilicate accelerator results in a reaction to form a SiO2:nH2O solution, which creates a strong bond by dehydrating to form a siloxane (Si-O-Si) network structure.

Condensation polymerization bonding

Condensation polymerization bonding is a condensation polymerization reaction in which a catalyst or cross-linking agent is added to the binder to form a network structure that creates strength in the material.

Ceramic Bonding (Sintered Bonding)

Ceramic bonding is a sintering bonding method that produces low to medium temperature sintering bonding by adding additives or metal powders that lower the sintering temperature of the refractory material so that the temperature of the liquid phase is greatly reduced, thereby promoting solid-liquid reactions at low temperatures.

Bonding

Bonding is a physical combination which will contain one or more physical reactions. Common physical reactions are as follows: 1. adsorption; 2. diffusion; 3. electrostatic action.

Cohesive bonding

This is a cohesive reaction, which is the bonding of microparticles (colloidal particles) by the addition of an agglomerating agent.