Abstract: In the manufacture of refractory bricks containing CaO, a mixture is formed of a refractory composition of a material containing CaO and a binder composition, and bricks are moulded from the mixture. To avoid hydration of the CaO and avoid softening of the bricks on heating up, the material containing CaO is selected from burned lime, burned dolomite and mixtures and the binder composition is present in an amount in the range 1 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the mixture and consists mainly of a thermosetting novolak type phenol resin composition and an anhydrous solvent consisting of at least one organic solvent present in an amount of less than 40% by weight based on the weight of the binder. The solvent composition is chosen to be of a chemical nature such that, at least during mixing of the refractory composition and the binder composition, it substantially does not react with the CaO.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a magnesia-carbon brick comprising the steps of:a. preparing a mixture comprising:1. burned magnesite2. carbon3. binder solution comprising3.1 precondensed novolak resin3.2 solvent for the novolak resin4. a hardener for the resinb. pressing a brick from the said mixture.