Deutsch: Feuerfester Werkstoff / Español: Material refractario / Português: Materiais refratários / Français: Matêriau rêfractaire / Italiano: Materiale refrattario
A refractory material is one that retains its strength at high temperatures. ASTM C71 defines refractories as "non-metallic materials having those chemical and physical properties that make them applicable for structures, or as components of systems, that are exposed to environments above 1,000 °F (811 K; 538 °C)".
Refractory materials are used in linings for furnaces, kilns, incinerators and reactors. They are also used to make crucibles.
In the industrial and manufacturing context, refractory refers to a material that is capable of withstanding high temperatures and corrosive environments without melting, softening, or undergoing significant chemical change. Refractory materials are used in a wide range of applications where high temperatures and corrosive conditions are present, such as in the metallurgical, ceramics, and petrochemical industries.