Features and uses of different types of crucibles

Crucibles are specialized containers for melting metallic materials at very high temperatures. The molten material is cast into new objects or used to make new alloys (different metals combined in specific proportions). Since crucibles are used to melt materials at high temperatures, the material used to make the crucible must have a higher melting point than the molten metal.

Different types of crucibles are used for different purposes, including research, experimentation, chemical analysis, industrial testing, quality control, and even academia.

ceramic crucible

These crucibles are made of kiln-fired clay. They are stable at high temperatures. Ceramic crucibles have been used in metalworking for over 7000 years. Most ceramic crucibles are used in combination with clay and graphite for durability.

 

Tungsten Crucible

Tungsten crucibles are products made of tungsten metal, which has very high heat resistance. The crucible temperature is as high as 3410°C. The manufacturing process of tungsten crucible is divided into spinning, stamping, forging and sintering. Tungsten is resistant to certain molten metals and metal oxides. Tungsten crucibles are widely used in the technology of growing single crystals from molten corundum; it is also used in electronic technology and thermal vapor deposition technology of various substances.

 

Clay graphite crucible

Graphite crucibles are mainly used for casting non-ferrous and ferrous metals. This is due to their non-reactivity; they can withstand very high temperatures.

 

Molybdenum Crucible

Molybdenum is a naturally ductile metal with strong corrosion resistance. Apart from tantalum and tungsten, molybdenum is known to have the highest melting point of the pure elements. Molybdenum crucibles are widely used in heat exchanger method (HEM) processes. They are suitable for melting and solidifying single crystals. The ideal molybdenum crucible has thin walls and excellent creep resistance.

 

Silicon carbide crucible

Silicon carbide crucibles are highly resistant to extreme temperatures, making them suitable for use in modern laboratories. Additionally, they are not chemically reactive and can be used to provide contamination-free results.

 

steel crucible

Stainless steel crucibles are made from a single piece of material. They are not as fragile as porcelain crucibles. Steel crucibles are used for low-temperature applications and can be used to melt lower melting point metals such as aluminum and zinc. Be aware that steel crucibles will rapidly scale and flake, and will contaminate the final alloy.

 

Crucibles are made of ceramic materials that can withstand very high temperatures, and they must have a much higher melting point than the material melted in the crucible. Crucibles can also be made of metals such as tungsten and molybdenum to produce tungsten and molybdenum crucibles.