Introduction
The average chemistry laboratory is laced with various equipment that aid in the analyses and mixing of chemicals, reagents, testings, and the production of several important compounds. Chief of these laboratory equipment are the Laboratory Crucibles. In this article, we will x-ray their properties, functions, applications, and how useful they are in the chemistry lab.
What are Laboratories Crucibles?
Laboratory Crucibles refer to vessels that are used to burn, melt, and mix chemical compounds or metallic substances over a bunsen burner or furnace.
These vessels have high melting points that can withstand very high temperatures.
Due to their strength and tenacity, they can safely hold materials all through a melting process. This unique property makes them stand out in the modern ceramics industry.
Laboratory crucibles are fundamental to the proper functioning of a chemistry lab due to their variety of uses and the advantageous capabilities they possess. They bear the shape of a bowl with appropriate covers and holders. These covers are loosely fitted to allow the escape of gas during experiments.
Owing to technological advancements, these lab crucibles now come in varying materials, shapes, sizes, and heights to suit your usage purpose.
Materials Used For Laboratory Crucibles
Choosing the right materials when it comes to lab crucibles is essential to whatever operations you intend to carry out in the lab, and as such, we would be looking at a broad variety of materials used in the production of lab crucibles they include:
Nickel
Highly purified Nickel can be used to make laboratory crucibles with highly polished surfaces. They can withstand temperatures above 500°C, which makes them resistant to strong chemicals like gaseous Hydrochloric acids and Chlorine. However, they tend to have low resistance levels for Hydrochloric, Sulphuric, and Organic acids.
So, you should note that when conducting experiments with materials containing these, the Nickel material crucibles can’t be used.
Carbon Steel
These crucibles are relatively cheap and can be formed from low alloy steel. They can withstand temperatures up to 500°C. They are, however, prone to rust.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE)
Pure PFTE can serve the purpose of making crack-free laboratory crucibles that can withstand temperatures between 196°C and 280°C
PFTE is chemically inert and, as such, ensures that the laboratory crucibles possess a clean, smooth surface.
Porcelain
Laboratory crucibles made from porcelain can stand temperatures reaching about 1050°C. They can also accommodate sudden changes in temperature.
Chemicals like acids hardly have effects on these porcelain laboratory crucibles due to their strong makeup. Porcelain crucibles are one of the cheapest crucibles out there. However, they are not compatible with Alkali Salts and Hydrogen Fluoride.
Platinum
Platinum has been found to have many unique qualities associated with lab crucibles today. This has left manufacturers no choice but to use it in making standard lab crucibles that can withstand temperatures of up to 1200°C. Platinum laboratory crucibles are resistant to rust because of their chemically inert nature.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is one of the most fragile pieces of lab crucible equipment you can find aside from Porcelain crucibles. They are most suited for cryo applications.
Types of Laboratory Crucibles
There are various types of crucibles available today, and they are:
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Rose
These lab crucibles come without a cover, and they remain unglazed.
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Wide Form
These crucibles possess short, low walls and are shallow. They have a wide diameter on their outer surface with a smaller diameter at the base.
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Gooch
Gooch crucibles are known to have fritted glass discs with a well-perforated bottom.
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Bitumen
These crucible types also have a perforated bottom. They are glazed inside-out, aside from the outside base surface and the rim.
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High Form
High-form crucibles have an outward bulge protruding slightly with high walls, hence the name high form. It is shaped with an opening that has a diameter that becomes smaller as it narrows down to the base.
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Porous Bottom
These crucibles possess a moulded-in porous disc. This disc tends to provide stable porosity and a consistent flow rate.
Functions of Lab Crucibles
Lab crucibles have diverse functions, some of them are:
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Gravimetric Analysis: This is a procedure that involves measuring mass changes with the crucible container. It is an analytical technique in which crucibles play a major role due to their stability and heat resistance.
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Reacting and Heating Chemicals: Extreme temperatures are a benchmark of different reactions in the chemistry laboratory. Therefore, laboratory crucibles come in handy as appropriate containers to hold in substances for so many of these reactions and analytical procedures to be possible.
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Melting of Materials and Metal Substances: The Melting of metals and a few alloys involves high dimensions of heat, and the only feasible containers for this to occur safely are laboratory crucibles. This is due to the fact that they possess ludicrously high melting points.
Applications of Lab Crucibles
Laboratory Crucibles are key equipment employed in various sectors and industries. We will examine a few of them, which are:
Metallurgical Science
Laboratory crucibles can be used in metallurgy for:
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Refining Valuable Metals
Valuable metals like Gold and Silver could be refined from their ores with the help of crucibles placed in extremely hot furnaces. After these metals have been purified, they can be used subsequently in making jewellery, electronics, sports trophies, etc.
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Production of Stronger Alloys
Lab crucibles have made it possible to produce excellent alloys used in many aviation, construction, and building industries worldwide. This is due to their ability to withstand the very high temperatures required in the process of melting and combining various metals.
Chemistry Labs
Without crucibles, scientists wouldn’t have been able to melt or mix elements or compounds. The crucible containers are essential in:
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Environmental Analysis
Environmental samples can be analysed precisely with the help of crucibles in chemistry Labs. How? They are the containers within which these samples are held. Experimentations like “Ashing” show how important crucibles are in chemistry.
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Manufacturing New Materials
Crucibles can be used to melt and mix various elements and compounds to produce new superconductor or semiconductor materials. These superconductors and semiconductors have the ability to bear high temperatures.
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Discovery of New Drugs
Crucibles can be used to heat and react various chemicals together, therefore, they play a major role in the discovery of new drugs and molecules. For new discoveries to be made, scientists must be able to explore several new molecules and come up with enhanced medications to combat diseases common to man. Crucibles ensure that the mixing of these chemicals to get the new discoveries is made possible.
Semiconductor Industry
Crucibles are applicable in:
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Exploring Properties of Semiconductors
High temperatures and semiconductors are synonymous. Hence, to determine the properties and capabilities of a semiconductor material, crucibles are required to hold these materials in place during tests and analysis by scientists.
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Developing Advanced Ceramics
Advanced ceramic materials are melted and shaped adequately as a result of crucibles that hold them in place. These advanced ceramic materials are afterward used for purposes like medical implants, electrical insulations, and the production of electronic devices.
Current Market Trend
Due to the increase in industrialization and a rising global demand for laboratory crucibles, the global market size had an estimated $1.2 billion in 2023 and is expected to hit $1.8 billion by 2032, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.6% during the said time. The demand for high-performance materials in various industrial applications is the key factor behind the booming growth of the crucible market.
Maintaining Lab Crucibles
We’ve established that lab crucibles are an important part of the chemistry lab. This means they must be thoroughly cared for and maintained after each usage to retain their high-quality performance. Here are some tips you can follow to maintain this all-important laboratory equipment:
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Clean them in cold water to remove any residues such as blood plasma
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Soak in a good disinfectant
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Remove surface materials by using a non-abrasive bristle brush
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Soak the crucibles again for a few minutes
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Rinse thrice in deionised water to flush out any residue of detergent
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Drain on a rack
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Use a hot air oven or keep in a clean environment to air dry.
FAQ
How Often Should The Lab Crucible Be Cleaned?
It should always be cleaned and kept safe after each usage in an experiment or test. This helps to preserve its life span and ensure effectiveness.
What is a Reagent?
A reagent is a substance used to produce a chemical reaction.
Is There a Difference Between Equipment and Apparatus?
Yes, while equipment are the objects needed to carry out a task, apparatus are the set of objects needed for a particular task.
Conclusion
In this era of wide Industrial trend and evolution in the scientific world, laboratory crucibles remain an important piece of equipment in making modern chemistry discoveries and experiments. Its importance and variety of usage in the Chemistry lab has made it so valuable.