Refractory articles and methods for forming same

Abstract

A refractory article includes a body having a first portion defining at least a portion of a first exterior surface of the body, the first portion including a carbide, and further including a second portion defining at least a portion of a second exterior surface of the body opposite the first exterior surface, the second portion including an oxide, and a thermal conductivity difference (ΔTC) of at least 10 W/mK between the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface, and an average Shell Temperature of not greater than 400° C.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refractory article, comprising a body including:
 a first portion defining at least a portion of a first exterior surface of the body, wherein the first portion comprises a carbide;   a second portion defining at least a portion of a second exterior surface of the body opposite the first exterior surface, wherein the second portion includes a majority content (vol %) of a polycrystalline oxide material; and   a thermal conductivity difference of at least 10 W/mK at 300 K between the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface.   
     
     
         2 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes an entirety of the first exterior surface of the body, and the second portion includes an entirety of the second exterior surface of the body. 
     
     
         3 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises silicon carbide. 
     
     
         4 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises at least one material from the group of oxygen, nitrogen, compounds thereof, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a primary phase including silicon carbide and a secondary phase comprising a nitrogen-containing composition. 
     
     
         6 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises nitride-bonded silicon carbide or oxynitride-bonded silicon carbide. 
     
     
         7 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion consists essentially of nitride-bonded silicon carbide, oxynitride-bonded silicon carbide, or silicon carbide. 
     
     
         8 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises an average thermal conductivity of at least 10 W/mK and not greater than 200 W/mK. 
     
     
         9 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises silica. 
     
     
         10 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises an aluminosilicate. 
     
     
         11 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises mullite (3Al 2 O 3 -2SiO 2  or 2Al 2 O 3 —SiO 2 ). 
     
     
         12 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion consists essentially of mullite (3Al 2 O 3 -2SiO 2  or 2Al 2 O 3 —SiO 2 ). 
     
     
         13 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion consists essentially of polycrystalline oxide material. 
     
     
         14 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion is essentially free of an amorphous phase material. 
     
     
         15 . The refractory article of  claim 1 , further comprising a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the third portion comprises at least one of an oxide and a carbide. 
     
     
         16 . The refractory article of  claim 15 , wherein the third portion comprises an oxide and a carbide. 
     
     
         17 . The refractory article of  claim 15 , wherein the third portion comprises at least a phase comprising a material selected from the group of silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), silicon oxynitride (Si 2 ON 2 ), silica (SiO 2 ), mullite (3Al 2 O 3 -2SiO 2  or 2Al 2 O 3 —SiO 2 ), alumina, (Al 2 O 3 ), silicon aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON), or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The refractory article of  claim 15 , wherein the third portion comprises a first phase comprising nitride-bonded silicon carbide and a second phase comprising mullite (3Al 2 O 3 -2SiO 2  or 2Al 2 O 3 —SiO 2 ). 
     
     
         19 . The refractory article of  claim 15 , wherein the third portion comprises a first phase comprising oxynitride-bonded silicon carbide and a second phase comprising mullite (3Al 2 O 3 -2SiO 2  or 2Al 2 O 3 —SiO 2 ). 
     
     
         20 . The refractory article of  claim 15 , wherein the third portion comprises a first phase comprising silicon carbide (SiC) and a second phase comprising alumina (Al 2 O 3 ).