Refractory compositions

The process of producing a solid molded refractory composition comprising inorganic refractory material and a carbonaceous binder therefor which comprises the steps of 1) forming a mixture of a particulate inorganic refractory material and an organic resin in the presence of a volatile organic or inorganic liquid, wherein said refractory material is substantially insoluble, in an amount sufficient to provide a plastic mixture, said organic resin comprising the condensate resin of phenol and an aldehyde chemically modified by reaction under heating with an extending agent selected from the group consisting of sulfite pulp lignin, kraft pulp lignin, molasses and mixtures thereof, the amount of lignin employed being about 5 to about 300 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of the phenol and the amount of molasses being about 5 to about 500 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of the phenol, 2) molding the resultant plastic mixture to a desired shape, 3) removing said liquid from said mixture by evaporation to harden the resin, and 4) calcining said mixture at an elevated temperature under a non-oxidizing atmosphere to carbonize substantially all of said resin and obtain said refractory composition.

A solid molded refractory composition impregnated with a condensate resin of a phenol and an aldehyde chemically modified by reaction under heating with an extending agent selected from the group consisting of sulfite pulp lignin, kraft pulp lignin, molasses and mixtures thereof, the amount of lignin employed being about 5 to about 300 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of the phenol and the amount of molasses employed being about 5 to about 500 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of the phenol.