The European Ceramic Society

Laboratory sheet

Austria

Lehrstuhl für Gesteinshüttenkunde – Montanuniversitaet Leoben

Chair of Ceramics

Director : Prof. Harald HARMUTH

Email : harald.harmuth@unileoben.ac.at

Phone : +43 3842 402 3201

Address : Franz Josef-Strasse 18, 8700 LEOBEN

Research topics :

With respect to materials the scope of the chair of ceramics comprises ordinary ceramic refractories, slags, mineral binders, concrete, glass, and non refractory ceramics with a main focus on refractories slags and melts, mineral binders and building materials. With respect to methods applied, research concentrates on microstructural characterization, determination of properties (mechanical and fracture mechanical properties, properties of melts and slags), failure analysis, simulation of thermomechanical material behavior, CFD simulation and thermochemical calculation.

Selected topics: 

  • Thermomechanical material models for ordinary ceramic refractories.
  • Simulation of refractory lining behavior and design.
  • DE simulation of ordinary ceramic structures.
  • Nonoxides for refractory applications.
  • Corrosion of refractory components in slags.
  • CFD simulation assisting investigations of slag/refractory and slag/steel interaction.
  • Alternative mineral hydraulic binders.

Exceptional facilities :

High temperature fracture mechanical testing equipment; uniaxial high temperature compressive and tensile creep testing; high temperature dissolution testing device; Double/Single Hot Thermocouple Technique for investigation of slag crystallization; hot stage microscopy.

Financial support programmes :

  • European fundings: ETN ATHOR
  • National fundings: COMET (K1 Met, K2 IC-MPPE)

Latest news

Electroceramics XX - 12th to 15th October 2026 - Novi Sad, Serbia

The Electroceramics XX conference will be held at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia from 12th to 15th October 2026 ! It will be organized by the University of Novi Sad (Faculty of Technology and Institute BioSense), the European Ceramic Society and the Serbian Society for Ceramic Materials.

Feb 19, 2026
ECerS Refractory Network Webinar - 9th March - 14:00 PM CET

The ECerS Refractory Network proudly presents its 2nd Webinar organized in connection with the International Women's Day (8th March) :

"Across Borders, Beyond Barriers: Women in the Ceramic Sector"

ECerS Refractory Network & Women@Refractories

Feb 15, 2026

Information

Contact us for any information: info@ecers.org - We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.

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Our actions

ECerS coordinates and promotes the study of ceramics through the following actions :

ECerS office

Av. Gouverneur Cornez , 4

7000 Mons

Belgium

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