Based on the many advantages over the conventional coal tar pitch, the application of thermosetting phenolic resins has been expanding for the production of carbon containing refractories. Nevertheless, despite this trend, it is noticeable that there are few published technical and scientific papers aiming to investigate how modifications in these polymers characteristics could affect and benefit the refractories processing and properties. There are studies in the literature analyzing the effects of these modifications on the pyrolysis of the thermoset itself. However, to fully apply their conclusions in the refractories research may not be appropriate, because the other components and even the processing methods of these materials may have an important influence on the behavior of the thermoset. Thus, with the objective to analyze the most promising ways to develop phenolic resins with an improved performance for this specific application, this work reviews the chemistry of thermosets and its consequences for the refractory processing and carbon production. The effect of some additives which could help the resins attaining such performance are also revised, including these so-called graphitizing agents, which induce crystallization in the thermoset derived carbon, a benefit before exclusive of graphitizable carbon sources as pitches.
thermosetting resins; carbon containing refractories; graphitization
