Synthesis and Characterization of Alumina Sol and Its Use as Binder in No Cement High-Alumina Refractory Castables

Alumina sol was prepared from inorganic precursors and characterized for its solid content, particle size analysis, DSC-TG, phase formation on calcination, etc. The sol was used as sole binder in high-alumina refractory castables, with different particle size distributions (PSDs), by varying distribution coefficients as per Dinger and Funk model. The castables were processed conventionally and characterized for physical and mechanical properties after heat treatment at various temperatures. Reasonable strength was obtained for the sintered castables, and no impurity phase was found in the matrix phase of the castables.