| abstract |
A carbon-containing refractory article having a protective coating is disclosed. The protective coating reduces oxidation of the article during preheating and casting operations. A high temperature wetting aid comprising a metal oxide, the metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, antimony, bismuth, lead, vanadium and tin, improves wetting of the protective coating on the article, and thereby reduces imperfections in the fused protective coating. The coating protects the article from oxidation and decarburization, which may result from using the article at high temperatures in an oxidising atmosphere. The wetting aid is a metal oxide, such as bismuth oxide, that reduces the surface tension of the protective coating at high temperature and promotes spreading of the protective coating over the surface of the article. |