The detailed microstructure of an alumina-zirconia-silica (AZS) fused

The detailed microstructure of an alumina-zirconia-silica (AZS) fused cast refractory material from the cast skin into the bulk analyzed using EBSDwww.hslabrasive.com

The interface of an industrially-produced block of an alumina-zirconia-silica (AZS) refractory material with the mold is extracted and prepared for analysis. The first 24mm of crystal growth including the cast skin are analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) including energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDXS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD).
Apart from the bulk, two chemically different zones of crystallization occur near the interface to the mold. The growth model for this material begins with the primary crystallization of dendritic ZrO2 followed by secondary crystallization procedures in the respective crystallization zones. The layer adjacent to the mold crystallizes to form alumina, secondary ZrO2 and mullite. An 001-oriented layer of mullite with the c-axis oriented perpendicular to the mold material is formed in the second layer of crystallization while only alumina, zirconia and residual glass occur further in the bulk.HSL fused alumina