Abstract
Use of Si3N4-SiC is today the state of the art as sidelining materials in modern aluminium electrolysis cells. An alternative can be to use self-bonded SiC sidelining materials. A test program has been developed at SINTEF to test physical and chemical materials properties of ceramic materials. Open porosity, density, thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, oxidation resistance and chemical resistance have been measured for a self-bonded SiC material (Sicatec 95). In addition, mineral phase analysis has been performed using both XRD and LECO analysis (total O and total N) together with microstructure studies performed by SEM. In this article, the materials properties measured on self-bonded SiC will be compared to the ones of Silicon-nitride bonded SiC and industrial relevance will be discussed.