Why do we need quartz crucibles. Description and scope

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

In the arsenal of any laboratory there is a great variety of different utensils used for a wide variety of needs. Often in the process of analytical work, containers are needed that have increased resistance to temperature, pressure and caustic chemicals. Such dishes include quartz crucibles, the properties of which are very useful in analytical work and in various industries.

What is it and in what areas is it used?

A crucible is a vessel designed for heating, burning, evaporating, drying, quenching or melting all kinds of materials under extreme thermal conditions.

All types of quartz glassware are united by their characteristic resistance to high temperatures and caustic acids of various origins. The only exceptions are hydrofluoric and phosphoric acids, preheated to 300 °C.

This vessel is used not only in the process of laboratory experiments and analysis. There are also large-size versions of crucibles. They are used in chemical, metallurgical and other industries.

Quartz crucible is the best suited for working with chemicals of varying degrees of causticity. The vessel is characterized by extremely high resistance to caustic acids. He is not afraid of high temperatures (up to 1250 ° C inclusive) in combination with high pressure. Vibration and other dynamic effects, as well as sudden cooling after overheating, will not cause damage. Things are worse with strongly alkaline reagents due to high hygroscopicity, which results in high electrification.

Where is it used?

The applications of quartz crucibles are quite extensive. As mentioned earlier, this tank is widely used in laboratory research, when working with various acids and in heavy metallurgy. But the functionality of crucibles is not limited to this. Without the use of crucibles, for example, the production of semiconductor silicon is impossible. The container is indispensable even in dentistry and orthopedics, because the manufacture of dentures, crowns and bridges is impossible without its use.

The advantage of quartz over other materials

These factors together give an idea of the significant advantage of a quartz crucible over any other.

• Firstly, quartz glass crucibles are currently cheaper to produce than their platinum counterpart.
• Secondly, this material is more resistant to aggressive environments than, for example, porcelain, which is also used to produce laboratory glassware, includingcrucibles.
• Thirdly, the production of quartz crucibles is not as labor intensive as, for example, platinum or porcelain crucibles.

Composition and production method of quartz glass

Quartz or silicate glass is made from prepared silica. The process consists in the fact that the silicon oxide in the raw material is brought to an amorphous state. It is this feature that gives quartz glass such good resistance to acids and temperature fluctuations. Numerous tests have shown that the containers do not deform or crack even after twenty repetitions of sharp thermal fluctuations.

Quartz crucibles are made by obtaining a high concentration slurry of quartz raw materials. This is followed by the molding of containers with the help of blanks, drying of raw materials, firing in a muffle furnace at a temperature of about 300 ° C. The firing process lasts about 3 hours, then the resulting form is impregnated with methylphenylspirosiloxane. The last step in the manufacture of quartz dishes is the application of an inner layer consisting of silicon nitride.

The received batch is tested for stability and compliance with GOST 19908-90. After the final certification, the products are ready for use.