Refractory materials are a class of inorganic non-metallic materials with a refractoriness of not less than 1580℃. Refractoriness refers to the Celsius temperature at which a conical specimen of a refractory material, under no load, resists high temperatures without softening or melting. However, defining refractory materials solely by refractoriness is insufficient to fully describe them; 1580℃ is not absolute. Currently, refractory materials are defined as any material whose physicochemical properties allow it to be used in high-temperature environments. Refractory materials are widely used in metallurgy, chemical industry, petroleum, machinery manufacturing, silicate, and power industries, with the largest usage in the metallurgical industry, accounting for 50%–60% of total production.
Refractory materials are applied in various sectors of the national economy, including steel, non-ferrous metals, glass, cement, ceramics, petrochemicals, machinery, boilers, light industry, power, and military industry. They are essential basic materials for ensuring the production, operation, and technological development of these industries, playing an irreplaceable and vital role in the development of high-temperature industrial production.
