Research Axis Refractories Materials and Clays Products

High-performance materials in extreme conditions are the cornerstone of human technologies and indispensable for the sustainability of future technologies. The "REFRACTORY MATERIALS AND CLAY PRODUCTS" research theme is historic for BCRC, especially in research. Indeed, Belgium has a long industrial tradition in this sector. Numerous research projects have enabled many innovations and developments in this field that fit in with the current dynamics of the industry.

Refractories

“REFRACTORY MATERIALS” are massiv or castable materials with high melting points. They exhibit excellent chemical and mechanical stability under extreme conditions. They are used for lining furnaces, manufacturing reactors or creating containers for high-temperature treatments (exceeding 1000°C) applied to materials in all their states (solid, liquid, or gas). These materials are extensively employed in metallurgical, glass, cement, and chemical industries, as well as in waste incineration and treatment, cogeneration, and industrial or domestic heating.

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Clay Products

Obviously, “CLAY PRODUCTS” are materials primarily made from clay. This category includes refractory materials with lower to moderate performance. It also encompasses “traditional” ceramic materials such as terracotta (bricks and tiles used in civil engineering construction, pottery, tiling) and stoneware. These products find diverse applications in tableware, sanitary ware, decoration, electrical insulation, and more.

The projects conducted at BCRC revolve around three pillars of innovation:

  1. Development of innovative, sustainable, and high-performance products
  2. Pilot-scale demonstration of new shaping technologies
  3. Implementation of methodologies and new characterization techniques.
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