Honeywell Explores New Uses for Jet Engine Refractories

Temperatures in the hot section of a turbine jet engine can reach 2000 degrees Celsius (more than 3600 degrees Fahrenheit). So, it’s no surprise Honeywell, the world’s leading producer of turbine engines for aircraft propulsion and auxiliary power, knows a thing or two about protecting vital components from extreme heat.

Honeywell is a pioneer in developing refractory materials that take heat-resistance to the next level. These same materials also are ideal for applications in industries with processes that involve extreme heat, like steel production, refining, glass manufacturing and power-generation.

Refractory Materials Protect Vital Metal Parts

Refractory materials have come a long way from the Iron Age when early humans used clay-lined kilns to smelt iron ore. The modern era of refractory materials began with the Industrial Revolution and continued into the 1900s, driven by an ever-increasing demand for steel and aluminum. The post-World War II period saw the introduction of new refractory materials and production technologies.

Today, refractory materials line the hot surfaces inside jet engines, blast furnaces, glass ovens and manufacturing equipment. They are made of nonmetal materials, usually ceramics, that can withstand temperatures well beyond the melting point of steel, around 1350°C.

Many industrial processes require refractories with mechanical and chemical stability resistance to thermal shock at 900°C and above. Oxide of aluminum (alumina), silicon (silica) and magnesium (magnesia) are some of the most important and common materials used in refractories. Silicon carbide, tungsten carbide and molybdenum disilicide also have refractory properties.

Honeywell Innovations Deliver Superior Performance

Our next-generation refractories provide new state-of-the-art solutions for aerospace and industrial companies. Zirconia (zirconium oxide or ZrO₂) can withstand ultra-high temperatures, while alumina-zirconia-carbon, combined with additive materials and advanced processing methods, excels in high-performance applications.

These advanced ceramics have proven themselves in aerospace applications, delivering superior performance and higher reliability at a fraction of the cost of comparable options. Best of all, they’re available today for use in a wide range of applications in aerospace and other industries.