Crucibles Selection Guide

Posted by MSE Supplies Admin on Jul 05, 2023

MSE Supplies is your source for many types of crucibles, including MgO crucibles ranging from 10 mL to 100 mL, metal crucibles, ceramic crucibles, and high-purity lab crucibles. We also produce customized crucibles to your specifications from your applications. Request a quote today.

What are Crucibles

Crucibles are essential lab tools that withstand extreme temperatures and harsh chemical conditions. They're containers crafted from high-purity materials like metals and ceramics, ensuring minimal contamination during use. Crucibles are integral to various scientific tasks, including melting, mixing, and analyzing samples under precise temperature and chemical control. With the diversity of materials available, such as Alumina, Zirconia, or Magnesium Oxide, it is critical to select the appropriate type of crucible for your specific application.

Types of Crucibles

What are crucibles made of? Crucibles comprise various materials, including metals, ceramics, and compounds, each suitable for different applications, often based on the crucible melting point. MSE Supplies offers many types of crucibles, including:

Alumina Crucibles: Widely used due to their high melting points and chemical resistance. Ideal for routine lab research.
Magnesium Oxide Crucibles: These can withstand ultra-high temperatures and are often preferable to lithium solid-state electrolyte synthesis.
Zirconia Crucibles: Known for their excellent wear resistance and are suitable crucibles for melting precious metals and super-alloys.
Boron Nitride Crucibles: Highlighted for their high thermal conductivity and excellent thermal shock resistance.
Graphite Crucibles: They are the best crucibles for melting metal and induction heating because of their high-temperature resistance.
Porcelain Crucibles: Economical choice for applications with temperatures below 1200 °C.
Quartz Crucibles: Excellent for material melting and chemical reactions in tube furnaces due to their thermal shock resistance and chemical inertness.

Order High-Quality Crucibles from MSE Supplies

When you choose MSE Supplies for all types of crucibles, you can count on the following:

Superior Quality: Our crucibles deliver reliable performance under extreme conditions, crafted from high-purity materials.
Broad Variety: We offer all types of crucibles in various materials like Alumina, Zirconia, and Magnesium Oxide for diverse applications.
Expert Assistance: Our experienced team provides insights into the best crucible for melting metal or your unique needs.

Order all types of crucibles from MSE Supplies today. We offer the best quality crucibles in the industry for the lowest prices. Our in-house materials scientists are committed to providing exceptional service and advice. Check out our special offers and programs, then order online or request a quote.

If you have any questions, we’re here to help! Contact us online, or call at (520)789-6673.

What are the Factors for Selecting a Crucible?

There are several factors one needs to consider when selecting a crucible, this can seem a daunting task because there are several things to consider. These factors can range from needed volume, the shape, and the chemical reactions between the crucible and the chemicals you put in it no name just a couple. Here is a list of some of the most important factors to consider when selecting a crucible.

What temperature will the crucible need to withstand?
What material crucible will be selected?
Is the material in the crucible going to react with the crucible?
Is the ramp rate being used going to thermally shock the crucible?
Is there a thermal gradient across the crucible, if so how will that affect the crucible?
What volume crucible will I need?
Will the geometry of the crucible be important?
Will the crucible fit in the furnace?
Is the crucible going to be used more than once?

This might seem a daunting list of questions to answer, but if you have ever chosen the wrong crucible for the job and ended up rebuilding your furnace you know the importance of answering these questions. If you need help choosing please continue reading this article. If you still need help our knowledgeable staff at MSE Supplies are here to help. Please feel free to email us at tech@msesupplies.com to help you select a suitable crucible for your needs.

What crucibles materials do MSE Supplies offer?

Alumina (Al₂O₃) Crucibles

Alumina crucibles (Al₂O₃) are widely used due to its versatility and its low cost. It is the most commonly used crucible for lab research use. The material has a high melting point is and relatively chemically inert. MSE Supplies offers a wide variety of shapes and sizes of Alumina crucibles. If you need a size or shape not listed on our website, please email us at sales@msesupplies.com.

Melting point – 2,072 °C
Recommended Max working temperature – 1,600 °C
Max ramp rate - 5 °C/min <1200 °C or 4 °C/min >1200 °C
Max cooling rate - 2 °C/min
Avoid Thermal gradients
High Purity Alumina Rectangular Boat Crucibles at MSE Supplies
High Purity Alumina Cylindrical Crucibles at MSE Supplies
High Purity Alumina High Form Crucibles at MSE Supplies
High Purity Alumina Sample Pans to TGA and DCS at MSE Supplies

Magnesium Oxide (MgO) Crucibles

Magnesium Oxide (MgO) crucibles are good for ultra high temperatures and have a better chemical resistivity than that of alumina. MgO crucibles are usually inert to metals, slags, and superconducting compounds. When MgO crucibles are used in lithium solid state electrolyte synthesis or sintering, MgO has its own unique advantage of not reacting with lithium unlike Al₂O₃ crucibles, therefore it maintains the lithium vapor pressure better without causing access lithium loss in the solid state electrolyte. If you need a size or shape not listed on our website, please email us at sales@msesupplies.com.

Melting point – 2,852 °C
Recommended Max working temperature – 2,200 °C
Max ramp rate - 3 °C/min
Max cooling rate - 3 °C/min
Avoid thermal Gradients
10 ml Magnesium Oxide Crucibles at MSE Supplies
50 ml Magnesium Oxide Crucibles at MSE Supplies
100 ml Magnesium Oxide Crucibles at MSE Supplies
Magnesium Oxide Rectangular Boat Crucibles at MSE Supplies

Zirconia (ZrO₂) Crucibles

Zirconia (ZrO₂) crucibles have excellent wear, chemical and temperature resistance. It can withstand high temperatures. It is ideal for applications which require temperatures higher than Alumina crucibles can withstand temperature (1600°C), such as melting of precious metals and super-alloys which have melting point higher than 1800°C. If you need a size or shape not listed on our website, please email us at sales@msesupplies.com.

Melting point – 2,715 °C
Recommended Max working temperature – 1800 °C (air); 2100 °C (N₂ or Vacuum)
Max ramp rate - 5 °C/min
Max cooling rate - 5 °C/min
High Purity Zirconia High Form Crucibles at MSE Supplies

Boron Nitride (BN) Crucibles

Boron Nitride (BN) crucibles are a synthetic technical ceramic material. It has outstanding thermal characteristics: high thermal conductivity (751 W/mK) and excellent thermal shock resistance. The unique property of BN crucible is that it is non-wetting with molten metal. It is widely used for crystal growth, melting metals, rare earth materials, fluorides, glass, silicon, molten salt and luminescent materials. It is ideal for oxygen sensitive applications. If you need a size or shape not listed on our website, please email us at sales@msesupplies.com.

Melting point – 2,973 °C
Recommended Max working temperature – 900 °C (air), 2100 °C (vacuum), 2000 °C (N₂ or Ar)
Max ramp rate - 50 °C/min
Max cooling rate – can quench
High Purity Boron Nitride Cylindrical Crucibles at MSE Supplies

Graphite (C) Crucibles

Graphite (C) crucibles are made from high purity (>99.9%) graphite raw material. It has unique features such as high temperature resistance, excellent acid and alkali resistance, good thermal shock resistance, excellent thermal/electrical conductivity and high mechanical strength. It is widely used for induction heating and metal melting, such as Ag, Au, Cu and Al metals. If you need a size or shape not listed on our website, please email us at sales@msesupplies.com.

Melting point – 3,600 °C (non-oxidizing environment)
Recommended Max working temperature – 400 °C (air), 2000 °C (non-oxidizing environment)
High Purity Cylindrical Graphite Crucibles at MSE Supplies

Porcelain Crucibles

Porcelain crucibles have good wear resistance, high temperature tolerance, excellent cold crushing and thermal shock resistance, and excellent chemical corrosion resistance. It is widely used for metallurgy, glass melting, gemstone purification, chemical industry and material science. It is the most economical crucible for applications with temperature lower than 1200 °C. If you need a size or shape not listed on our website, please email us at sales@msesupplies.com.

Recommended Max working temperature – 1200 °C
Max ramp rate - 3 °C/min
Max cooling rate – 3 °C/min
High Form Porcelain Crucibles at MSE Supplies

Quartz Crucibles

Quartz crucibles (>99.99%) have excellent thermal shock resistance and are chemically inert to most elements and compounds, including virtually all acids, regardless of concentration, except hydrofluoric acid. They are widely used for material melting and chemical reactions in tube furnaces. If you need a size or shape not listed on our website, please email us at sales@msesupplies.com.

Melting point – 1,670 °C (non-oxidizing environment)
Recommended Max working temperature – 1,200 °C
Max ramp rate - 3 °C/min
Max cooling rate – 3 °C/min
High Purity Quartz Boat Crucibles at MSE Supplies

MSE Supplies (msesupplies.com /) is a major supplier of crucibles. MSE Supplies offers a wide range of high purity lab crucibles, including Alumina (Al₂O₃), Zirconia (ZrO₂), Quartz (SiO₂), Magnesium Oxide (MgO), Boron Nitride (BN), Porcelain, Graphite (Carbon), Copper (Cu), Molybdenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni), Tantalum (Ta), Tungsten (W), Zirconium (Zr), PTFE and more. Customized lab crucibles are available upon request. Find popular high purity laboratory crucibles for sale at MSE Supplies.