Advances in the Development, Processing, and Application of Locally Sourced Clay-based Refractory Materials for Furnace Application in Nigeria

Refractories are ceramic materials that are used in high-temperature applications, often above 1100oC. These materials find applications in reactors, kilns, ovens, and furnace linings. The need for refractory materials is consistently increasing to accommodate the ongoing development of different industries and factories. Local clays are currently under investigation to address the insufficient supply of refractory materials. Although the geo-morphology of the various locations where deposits of clay are found has been examined, comparatively little work has been done to fully evaluate these deposits to ascertain their suitability for use. This paper includes a review of the refractories produced from locally sourced clay deposits in Nigeria, followed by an evaluation of their usability for furnace lining. Generally, most of the findings reiterate the fact that the local clay has excellent properties for refractories; however, the local manufacturing of refractories in Nigeria has been very low, hence the nation still depends largely on imported refractories. Adequate funding for the local manufacturing of refractories would be needed to access and explore about 8 billion tonnes of clay deposits across Nigeria, thereby reducing imports and maximizing local production.