NON-WETTING CASTABLES FOR MOLTEN ALUMINIUM CONTACT
Low cement, non-wetting castables for melting and holding furnaces, launders and cast house
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Molten aluminium behaves unlike molten iron or steel: it is chemically reducing, it wets and penetrates ordinary refractory, and it attacks silica directly (4Al + 3SiO₂ → 2Al₂O₃ + 3Si), stripping silicon into the melt and destroying the lining from within. Once aluminium penetrates, it oxidises inside the pore structure and grows corundum, which expands and spalls the hot face away. Non-wetting aluminium contact castables answer this with a high alumina, low silica matrix plus non-wetting additives that stop the melt entering the pore network in the first place. Shanker Agencies supplies these in self-flow and vibro-cast grades for melting and holding furnace hearths and walls, belly bands, launders, filter and degassing boxes, transfer ladles and cast house floors. Alloy chemistry matters as much as temperature: Al-Mg alloys are more aggressive than commercial-purity aluminium and need the higher-strength grade.
KEY PROPERTIES
Service Temperature
1300°C, both grades
Key Mechanism
Non-wetting additives block melt penetration
Failure Mode Prevented
Corundum growth and silicon pickup
Max Grain Size
6 mm
Installation
Self-flow, vibro cast or pump cast
Alloy Note
Al-Mg alloys require the high-strength grade
APPLICATIONS
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Swipe table to see all columns
| Grade | Al₂O₃ | SiO₂ | Bulk Density | CCS | Max Temp | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Flow Non-Wetting LCC | 77.2% | 11.5% | 2750 kg/m³ @110°C | 55 / 65 / 80 N/mm² @110 / 816 / 1200°C | 1300°C | Launders, holding furnace, general contact |
| High-Strength Al-Mg Resistant | 79.5% | 12% | 2800 kg/m³ @110°C | 80 / 110 / 120 N/mm² @110 / 816 / 1200°C | 1300°C | Melting furnace, Al-Mg alloys, high-impact zones |
* Typical catalog values. Not independently certified, request a technical datasheet to confirm figures for your application.
AVAILABLE GRADES
INSTALLATION NOTES
- 1
Self-flow grade needs approximately 6.9% water and places by self-flow or mild vibration, suited to congested launder and box shapes
- 2
High-strength grade needs approximately 5–5.5% water and is vibro cast, traditional cast or pump cast
- 3
Material requirement is roughly 2800 kg/m³ for the self-flow grade and 2900 kg/m³ for the high-strength grade, use these for take-off quantities
- 4
Permanent linear change stays within −0.3% at 816°C and ±0.5% at 1200°C, so allow for joint movement rather than expecting zero change
- 5
Dry out on a controlled schedule; trapped moisture in a dense low cement castable causes explosive spalling
- 6
Never patch an aluminium contact lining with a silica-bearing material, it will be reduced by the melt
WHY BUY FROM SHANKER AGENCIES
Selecting an aluminium contact lining on temperature alone is the classic mistake: at 700–800°C these linings sit far below their 1300°C rating, and what actually kills them is penetration, corundum growth and alloy chemistry. Shanker Agencies specifies by zone and by alloy, tell us whether you run commercial-purity aluminium or Al-Mg, and which zone you are lining, and our engineers will match the grade and confirm quantities from your drawings.
PARTNER BRANDS
QUICK INFORMATION
Max Temperature
1300°C
Category
Unshaped Refractories
Grades Available
2 Standard Grades
Industries Served
Brands We Supply
• On enquiry, matched to alloy and zone
📦 Quick Delivery
Standard grades in stock, Delhi warehouse. Pan-India delivery in 2–5 days. Same-day dispatch for urgent orders ≤ 2 MT.
MORE IN UNSHAPED REFRACTORIES
Plastic Refractories
Ready-to-use rammable plastic refractory for burner blocks, patching and monolithic linings
Low Cement Castables (LCC)
High-strength castables with 3–5% cement, the industry standard for steel ladles
Ultra Low Cement Castables (ULCC)
Premium monolithics with <1.5% cement for the most demanding high-wear zones
Ramming Mass
Silica, neutral and basic ramming mass for jointless induction furnace linings
READY TO ORDER OR NEED A SAMPLE?
Our engineers can recommend the exact grade for your application. Sample kits available for trials. No minimum order on standard grades.
Available Grades, Non-Wetting Aluminium Contact Castables
Select a grade to see its full specification, designations and equivalents.
Need help selecting a grade? Send us your application, operating temperature, dimensions and specification requirements, and our technical team will review the requirement.
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