The benefits promoted by carbon addition in refractory castables have led to an increase in the use of such materials in the steel making industry. Nevertheless, one of the problems that still hinder the use of high-carbon-containing castables is the corrosion of metal powders commonly used to prevent carbon oxidation at high temperatures. Preliminary studies have pointed out that the metal powders corrosion within the castables is affected by the aggressive alkaline conditions promoted by cement hydration. The present work aimed to evaluate the effect of temperature as well as the influence of different binders on the corrosion resistance of Al and Si powders in water and in high-carbon containing castables. A technique able to detect the H2-gas release was used to identify the metal powders corrosion. The results revealed the possibility of applying Al or Si powders in these systems through the selection of a suitable castable binder.
refractory castables; carbon; antioxidants; corrosion
