ABSTRACT
Ceramic materials have been closely related to the development of human society from its very beginning. Ceramic technology is one of the most ancient of the technologies; it is more than 24,000 years old and at the same time is the most modern, dynamically developing, and diverse field. Refractories act as the “backbone of industry” because they are essentially required to support the production of all the basic and essential commodities manufactured at high temperatures, like iron and steel, aluminum, copper, cement, glass, chemicals and petrochemicals, ceramics. The iron and steel industry is growing phenomenally, and China has taken the lead role in both manufacturing and consumption of iron and steel. Excellent mechanical properties, especially strength, at elevated temperatures are necessary for refractories. The manufacturing process of a refractory is quite similar to the formation of basalt, a naturally occurring siliceous rock.
