Re-examining the prospects of aluminous cements based on alkali-earth and rare-earth oxides

In the family of aluminous cements the potential of strontium aluminate, the strontium–barium aluminate and the barium aluminate cements have been sporadically and incoherently studied over several decades in various parts of the world and more particularly in the East European countries without much wide-spread commercial success. Attempts had also been made to extend the exploratory studies to the (Ca, Sr, Ba)O–Al2O3–ZrO2–HfO2 system to synthesize super-refractory binders. In fact, the above compositions, prima facie, seem to have the potential of arriving at cementitious formulations that, apart from being super-refractory, may as well be highly resistant to seawater, X-rays and gamma radiation. Looking at these potentials, quite a few experimental studies have been carried out under the guidance and supervision of the present author. The present paper is an endeavour to collate the data on some of these systems both from the published literature as well as from the authorʹs findings. The prime motive has been to review and re-assess the prospects of manufacturing a range of new aluminous binders with superior properties.