The development of advanced refractory castables demands a simultaneous optimization of rheological properties (fluidity and workability) and the time for demolding. Generally, such properties and the variables that influence them, (temperature and additives) are directly evaluated in the refractory castable. Nevertheless, such procedure demands time and limits the investigation related to the variables that can influence the suspensions consolidation mechanism. In this context, the objective of this work is to present alternative techniques that could better evaluate the setting of ceramic suspensions containing different binders. The results obtained can be correlated with castable macroscopic properties such as workability and demolding time. These techniques comprise the measurements of electrical conductivity, temperature, storage (G') and loss (G") modulus (oscillatory rheological tests) and material's resistance to an uniaxially imposed elastic deformation (normal force rheological tests).
electrical conductivity; temperature; normal force and oscillatory rheological tests
