Abstract Scope |
Refractories are essential for high-temperature processes such as steel, cement, glass, and nonferrous production. During all stages of refractory development, for example raw material characterization, product development, and postmortem studies, image-based mineralogical studies are pivotal. Traditionally at RHI Magnesita, optical microscopy combined with electron microscopy have been standard approaches to characterize refractories at a microscopic level. However, as technology leader in the refractory industry, we are always looking for new imaging techniques that can be adopted to advance analysis. Recently, the latest generation of micro-XRF spectrometers is now enabling image-based mineralogical characterization at a mesoscopic scale (i.e., µm–cm). This technology provides quick and precise 2-dimensional X-ray element distribution mapping of areas smaller than 15.5 x 19.5 cm to analyze the location of impurities in raw materials, determine refractory corrosion mechanisms, and quantify refractory infiltration. |