Improving Thermal-Shock Fracture Resistance of the Mullite-Tube Closing One End

Abstract

A high-density mullite which can be used as an oxygen sensor at high temperatures, did not show enough thermal shock fracture resistance in the melts of steel. The thermal stress distribution in a mullite tube after immersing into steel melts was calculated by the finite element method in order to prevent thermal spalling. Based on the calculated results, the resin-coated mullite tubes and the porous mullite tubes with excellent thermal shock fracture resistance were developed.