Polymeric fibers have been successfully used in order to improve refractory castables' performance during drying. There is a well-known permeability improvement brought upon by these fibers' melting or degradation, during heat up. Additionally, fibers can also provide mechanical reinforcement, increasing the material's strength and its work of fracture, but only if they are not weakened by heat up to the temperature of maximum pressurization of steam. In this paper, the mechanical strength of fiber-containing castables and the work of fracture are greatly increased by the use of short fibers, and these properties were well related to the materials' behavior during drying.
work of fracture; mechanical strength; refractory castable; polymeric fiber; drying
