Toward A "Greener" Future With Advanced Refractories

This article discusses recent developments in advanced refractories. Every day, we are inundated with new announcements about energy savings, reduced greenhouse emissions, global climate change, and so on. Radio and television advertisements bombard the country touting the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, and other electric and hybrid cars. These cares get 50+ miles per gallon of fuel and in some cases such as the Leaf, leave the US government struggling to determine an mpg rating. However, the hype about "green" materials also continues to grow, but are these new materials really "green," or are good old refractories the kings of "green?"