Mullite is a ceramic phase currently applied in the refractory industries due to its excellent properties, high refractoriness and it is formed by the reaction of silica and alumina at elevated temperatures. In the literature, many works analyze its synthesis and reactions, as well as the in-situ formation or addition as pre-reacted powder. This review gathers the main works involving mullite synthesis, focusing on the mullitization kinetics, such as the formation of a metastable liquid phase. It also brings about a general view of the many different sources of silica and alumina, analyzing their characteristics and the properties of the resulting mullite. The study suggests that the use of high reactive alumina and silica favors the mullitization by reducing its formation temperature and the amount of residual liquid phase on the final product.
mullite; mullitization; refractories castables; silica; alumina
