1. Definition, classification and applications of refractory ceramics

1.1 Definition of refractory ceramics

• The term "refractory" was first recorded in 1539 by Robert Estienne, in his dictionnarium latino-gallicum. Etymologically, it comes from the church Latin "Refractarius", quarrelsome, and means unruly. For a material, its meaning is "resistant to high temperatures". But what does high temperature mean for a refractory material?

  Pyrex glass, for example, can withstand temperatures in excess of 350°C, yet is not considered a refractory material. We can therefore see that the temperatures at which the material must "resist" (i.e. retain its physico-chemical properties and integrity) must be above a certain threshold to speak of refractory materials