Application of Optical and Spectral Cathodoluminescence in the Study of MgO Refractories

摘要

Refractory materials are commonly used due to their high-temperature properties in several fields of industrial processes. MgO bricks, for instance, are used in LD converters, moltensteel ladles and electric arc furnaces because of their thermochemical and thermomechanical properties. To enhance the service time of refractory materials its microstructure should be well understood. Both technological parameters during production processes and varying properties of the raw materials (e.g. crystallinity, incorporation of impurities, mechanical behaviour) can considerably influence the properties of the manufactured refractory material. A variety of analytical methods is commonly used to characterise structural parameters of refractories. The present paper is focused on the application of both optical and high-resolution spectral cathodoluminescence (CL) to detect microstructural changes in periclase during thermal treatment.