urope’s high-temperature industries, such as steel, cement, and glass, rely on refractory materials that are critical for safe, efficient, and sustainable operations. As the EU is currently under strong Green and Digital Transitions, the refractory sector faces urgent challenges: decarbonisation, circularity, and digitalisation. In this specific industrial sector, current practices are still limited by empirical design, fragmented data, and low recycling rates, while new regulations demand traceability and reduced carbon footprint.

REFFRACTEUR (Digital REFractory FRAmework for a Carbon-neutral and Resilient indusTry in EURope) addresses these challenges by gathering a unique consortium spanning the entire refractory value chain, from raw materials to end-users, across academia and industry. The project will train 15 Doctoral Candidates through an innovative programme combining advanced research in materials science, process engineering, digital tools (AI, digital twins, and sustainability (life cycle assessment). Each researcher will benefit from dual academic/industrial supervision and spend at least 50% of their time in industry, ensuring strong intersectoral skills and real-world impact.

REFFRACTEUR will deliver: (1) new sustainable refractory materials with improved durability and recyclability; (2) the first unified circularity framework for refractories, integrating digital product passports and life cycle assessment; (3) validated digital twins and AI-based decision-support systems for predictive maintenance and energy optimisation; and (4) an open, standardised data backbone to accelerate innovation and knowledge transfer.

By embedding training, research, and innovation in a single European network, REFFRACTEUR will strengthen Europe’s industrial sovereignty, reduce dependency on critical raw materials, and position the EU as a global leader in sustainable, digitalised refractory technologies. The project’s outcomes will directly support the EU’s climate, circular economy, and skills agendas, creating lasting impact for industry, society, and future generations of researchers.