Nanosized TiO2 was obtained using a simple chemical route from natural ilmenite available in Tamilnadu, India. The nano‐TiO2 particles obtained were comprehensively characterized by X‐ray diffraction, FTIR, BET surface area, particles size, and transmission electron microscopic analysis. The results observed reveal that the nano‐TiO2 show a rutile crystal structure with an average particle size of 50 nm and a specific surface area of 112.64 m2/g with spherical morphology. Different proportions of nanotitania were added in silica brick composition to determine out the amount of tridymite phase transformation. It was observed that the addition of 0.5 wt% nano‐TiO2 leads to highest amount of tridymite phase formation. The effect of incorporation of nano‐TiO2 in silica refractory was explored in terms of refractory properties such as bulk density, apparent porosity, cold crushing strength, refractoriness under load, creep in compression, and reversible thermal expansion.

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a b s t r a c tIn India, chromite is used for making magnesia chrome bricks due to its low modulus of elasticity. But the use of magnesia chrome bricks in the sintering zone of cement rotary kilns causes environmental pollution due to the formation of Cr +6 compounds. In order to meet the above challenges and to satisfy the operational demands due to use of alternative fuels, now-a-days, galaxite spinel is being used in place of chromite as a chrome free material. Galaxite is not available in nature and electro fusion is the main process by virtue of which it is industrially manufactured. However, the main drawback of electro-fusion process is both time and energy consumption. In such a backdrop, the present work has been carried out which describes the synthesis of galaxite by plasma fusion process and also the characterization of its refractory properties for application in cement rotary kilns. This alternative process is absolutely new, faster in approach and also economically viable. The developed magnesia galaxite brick shows higher performance rate and is also economically cost effective as compared to the conventional magnesia chrome and magnesia galaxite bricks, presently available in the market.

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