ISO 10081-3:2003

Overview

ISO 10081-3:2003 specifies the classification and designation of dense shaped basic refractory products containing 7% or more but less than 50% residual carbon after coking. It applies to products with or without antioxidant additives and with or without metal plates or reinforcement. This part of the ISO 10081 series provides a consistent framework for naming and grouping magnesia-carbon based refractories.

Keywords: ISO 10081-3, dense shaped refractory products, residual carbon, magnesia carbon, magnesia lime carbon, classification, designation.

Key Topics

• Basis of classification: five criteria - product type; group (determined by MgO and residual carbon, and presence of antioxidant additives); state of raw materials; nature of the bond; and any post-treatment.
• Product types covered: magnesia carbon (MC), magnesia lime carbon (MLC), magnesia doloma carbon (MDC), and doloma carbon (DC).
• Group designation: group codes (for example MC 95/10 or MLC 70/20) indicate magnesia content and residual carbon ranges. A suffix A denotes the presence of antioxidant additives.
• Raw material state: naturally occurring sintered, synthetic sintered, co-clinker (magnesia lime), or fused.
• Bond classification: organic chemical bond (formed at ambient temperatures up to ~800 °C), carbon bond (formed by firing >800 °C), or inorganic chemical bond.
• Post-treatment designations: tempering (≤800 °C), firing (>800 °C) and impregnation.
• Normative references: ISO 10058, ISO 10060 and ISO 12677 are cited for chemical analysis and residual carbon test methods.

Applications

The standard provides practical value for manufacturers, engineers and procurement professionals who work with high-temperature linings:

• Ensures consistent selection of magnesia-carbon bricks by matching MgO and residual carbon levels to service conditions in steelmaking and non-ferrous metallurgy.
• Improves specification clarity for industrial furnaces, kilns and ladle linings where residual carbon content affects thermal, mechanical and chemical performance.
• Supports quality control and laboratory reporting by aligning chemical analysis and residual carbon determination with referenced ISO test methods.
• Simplifies procurement, inventory management and contractual documentation through standardised designation and clear product descriptions.

Related Standards

• ISO 10081 series: Part 1 (alumina-silica), Part 2 (basic products with <7% residual carbon), Part 4 (special products, under preparation).
• ISO 10058 - Magnesites and dolomites: chemical analysis.
• ISO 10060 - Test methods for products containing carbon (residual carbon determination).
• ISO 12677 - Chemical analysis of refractory products by XRF (fused bead method).

Use ISO 10081-3:2003 classifications when preparing material specifications or performing material selection to ensure traceability, consistent quality control and correct matching of refractory properties to application needs.