Cathodoluminescence Mineralogy of Used MgO-C Bricks in Basic Oxygen Furnaces

Carbon containing magnesia refractories are widely used in slag lines of basic oxygen furnaces (BOF) because of the superior wear resistance that can be achieved. the cathodoluminescence (CL) method was found to be uniquely suited to study quantitative phase distribution from hot face to cold face of the bricks and to study refractory wear in a steelmaking environment. CL study of post-mortem MgO-C bricks from BOF slag lines provides invaluable information for understanding the reaction mechanisms which govern wear of these materials