Refractory object and method of forming

Abstract

A refractory object may include a zircon body that is intentionally doped with a dopant including an alkaline earth element and aluminum. The refractory object can have an improved creep deformation rate. In an embodiment, the refractory object can have a creep deformation rate of not greater than about 1.8 E-5 h−1 at a temperature of 1350° C. and a stress of 2 MPa. In another embodiment, the zircon body may include an amorphous phase including an alkaline earth metal element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refractory object, comprising a zircon body comprising:
 a crystalline phase including zircon, wherein the crystalline phase is at least 75 wt. % of for a total weight of the zircon body; and   at least 0.5 wt. % and not greater than 20 wt. % of an amorphous phase for the total weight of the zircon body, wherein the amorphous phase comprises an alkaline earth oxide including for a total weight of the amorphous phase CaO of at least 3.4 wt. %, BaO of at least 0.5 wt. %, SrO of greater than 0.1 wt. %, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The refractory object of  claim 1 , wherein the amorphous phase comprises BaO of at least 3.9 wt. % and not greater than 40 wt. % of BaO for the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
     
     
         3 . The refractory object of  claim 1 , wherein the amorphous phase comprises BaO of at least 10 wt. % and not greater than 35 wt. % for the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
     
     
         4 . The refractory object of  claim 1 , wherein the amorphous phase comprises a ratio of C SiO2  to C BaO  of not greater than 25 and at least 2, wherein C SiO2  is a content of silica relative to the total weight of the amorphous phase, and C BaO  is a content of BaO relative to the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
     
     
         5 . The refractory object of  claim 1 , wherein the amorphous phase comprises at least 0.5 wt. % and not greater than 35 wt. % of SrO for the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
     
     
         6 . The refractory object of  claim 1 , wherein the amorphous phase comprises a total content of at least 5 wt. % and not greater than 35 wt. % of the alkaline earth oxide for the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
     
     
         7 . The refractory object of  claim 1 , wherein the amorphous phase comprises a ratio of C Al2O3  to C BaO  of not greater than 10 and at least 0.5, wherein C BaO  is a content of BaO relative to the total weight of the amorphous phase, and C Al2O3  is a content of alumina relative to the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
     
     
         8 . The refractory object of  claim 1 , wherein the zircon body comprises a creep deformation rate of
 not greater than about 1.5 E-5 h −1  at a temperature of 1350° C. and a stress of 2 MPa;   not greater than about 7.5 E-6 h −1  at a temperature of 1325° C. and a stress of 2 MPa;   not greater than about 3.5 E-6 h −1  at a temperature of 1300° C. and a stress of 2 MPa; or   any combination thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The refractory object of  claim 1 , wherein the zircon body comprises a crystalline phase comprising zirconia (ZrO 2 ) of not greater than 12 wt. % for the total weight of the zircon body. 
     
     
         10 . A refractory object, comprising:
 a zircon body comprising:
 a crystalline phase comprising mullite, silimanite, andalusite, or any combination thereof, wherein the crystalline phase is at least 0.01 wt. % and not greater than 20 wt. % of for a total weight of the zircon body; 
 an amorphous phase comprises silica (SiO 2 ) of at least 20 wt. % for a total weight of the amorphous phase and an alkaline earth oxide including BaO, SrO, CaO, or a combination thereof, wherein a ratio of C SiO2  to C AKO  of not greater than 16 and at least 2, wherein C SiO2  is a content of silica relative to the total weight of the amorphous phase, and C AKO  is a total content of alkaline earth oxide relative to the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
   
     
     
         11 . The refractory object of  claim 10 , wherein the zircon body comprises a crystalline phase including zircon of at least 75 wt. % of for the total weight of the zircon body. 
     
     
         12 . The refractory object of  claim 10 , wherein the zircon body comprises at least 0.5 wt. % and not greater than 20 wt. % of the amorphous phase for the total weight of the zircon body. 
     
     
         13 . The refractory object of  claim 12 , wherein the zircon body comprises at least 2 wt. % and not greater than 15 wt. % of the amorphous phase for a total weight of the zircon body. 
     
     
         14 . The refractory object of  claim 10 , wherein the amorphous phase further comprises alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), wherein a ratio of C Al2O3  to C AKO  is not greater than 13 and at least 0.5, wherein C Al2O3  is a content of alumina relative to the total weight of the amorphous phase, and C AKO  is a total content of alkaline earth oxide relative to the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
     
     
         15 . The refractory object of  claim 10 , wherein the amorphous phase comprises the alkaline earth oxide including BaO. 
     
     
         16 . The refractory object of  claim 10 , wherein the amorphous phase further comprises alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), wherein a total content of alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) and alkaline earth oxide is at least 22 wt % for the total weight of the amorphous phase. 
     
     
         17 . A refractory object, comprising a zircon body comprising:
 zircon in a content of at least 70 wt. % and not greater than 97 wt. % for a total weight of the zircon body; and   a creep deformation rate of:
 not greater than about 1.5 E-5 h −1  at a temperature of 1350° C. and a stress of 2 MPa; 
 not greater than about 7.5 E-6 h −1  at a temperature of 1325° C. and a stress of 2 MPa; 
 not greater than about 3.5 E-6 h −1  at a temperature of 1300° C. and a stress of 2 MPa; or 
 any combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         18 . The refractory object of  claim 17 , wherein the zircon body comprises a content of alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), C Al2O3 , of at least 1 wt. %, and not greater than about 10 wt. % for the total weight of the zircon body. 
     
     
         19 . The refractory object of  claim 18 , wherein the zircon body comprises a content of an alkaline earth oxide, C AKO , for a total weight of the zircon body, wherein a ratio of C Al2O3 /C AKO  is at least 6 and not greater than 20. 
     
     
         20 . The refractory object of  claim 17 , wherein the zircon body comprises an alkaline earth oxide including BaO of at least 0.1 wt. % and not greater than 4 wt. % for the total weight of the zircon body.