Feature story

New Levasil® colloidal silica binding system for magnesia refractories

Boosting productivity and efficiency in high-temperature industrial processes

A product of two natural ingredients – sand and water – colloidal silica is a versatile product which enhances and improves key functionalities of a variety of products and manufacturing processes. 

September 2023

As a leading global producer of colloidal silica products, with production facilities in the Americas, Asia, and Europe, Nouryon is now expanding the reach of its Levasil® colloidal silica portfolio in the global refractories market to include magnesia-based systems, used in industries with very demanding conditions. 

Excellent binder for refractory materials

The global refractories market plays a crucial role in supporting various energy intensive industries reliant on high-temperature processes such as steel, glass, and cement production. Colloidal silica is known to be an excellent binder for refractory materials with decades of proven performance. However, until now it has not been possible to use colloidal silica as a binder in magnesia-based refractories due to the very fast setting. 

Nouryon, in collaboration with Professor Dr. Rafael Salomão from the São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo in Brazil, recently discovered that Levasil® FX401, a unique modified colloidal silica, solves the problem of rapid setting and helps with two of the biggest challenges for magnesia-based refractories: hydration and corrosion resistance. 

Patent-pending technology

The use of this patent-pending colloidal silica binder technology prevents hydration and provides safer and more efficient drying, leading to energy savings and lower CO2 emissions in high temperature industries such as steel, glass, and cement manufacturing. The studies also show that Nouryon’s Levasil® FX401 enables a high-density structure, resulting in a refractory material with higher durability and thus a lower carbon footprint thanks to better resource efficiency. The longer life of the material, thanks to increased resilience to thermal shock and chemical erosion, will result in lower maintenance costs, fewer production stoppages and lower consumption of magnesia-based refractories for manufacturers who rely on high-temperature production processes.  

Nouryon’s customer-centric business model is focused on providing tailored solutions that improve the performance, quality, and sustainability of our customers’ products across a variety of end-markets. In 2022, approximately 77% of the Company’s product innovation pipeline was focused on solutions with sustainability benefits. 

Discover more

Learn more about our solution, Levasil® FX401, for better hydration protection and longer durability. The new technology will also be presented at on September 26-29 at UNITECR in Frankfurt, Germany, by Professor Dr. Rafael Salomão.

worker in a foundry casting a metal workpiece

Refractory materials

Nouryon offers a broad range of Levasil® colloidal silica for refractory materials and a game-changing solution for more durable magnesia-based materials.
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Levasil® colloidal silica

We provide customers with a reliable supply of high and consistent quality colloidal silica. Discover our broad Levasil® portfolio of innovative solutions.

Levasil FX401

Levasil® FX401 is aqueous dispersion of modified colloidal silica. The silica dispersion is sterically stabilized, and the amorphous silica particles carry...

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