Reaction Bonded Silicon Nitride - Silicon Carbide and SiAlON - Silicon Carbide Refractories for Aluminium Smelting

Abstract

The widely used Si3N4-SiC sidewall refractories for aluminum smelting cells, and β SiAlON-SiC composites that can be potentially used for this purpose, have been produced by reaction bonding and their corrosion performance assessed in simulated aluminum electrochemical cell conditions. The formation of the Si3N4 and SiAlON phases were studied by reaction bonding of silicon powders in a nitrogen atmosphere at low temperatures to promote the formation of silicon nitride, followed by a higher heating step to produce β SiAlON composites of different composition. The corrosion performance was studied in a laboratory scale aluminum electrolysis cell where samples were exposed to both liquid attack from molten salt bath and corrosive gas attack. The corrosion resistance of the samples was shown to be dependent on the composition but more importantly on the environment during corrosion, with samples in the gas phase showing higher corrosion.