What Types of Work Tubes are Suitable For Tube Furnaces?

Tube furnaces are usually operated with work tubes made from either a ceramic material such as mullite or recrystallized alumina (RCA), quartz glass, or metals, such as stainless steel or Inconel. It is vital that the work tube material is suitable for the desired application. It must be capable of withstanding the maximum operating temperature, and have appropriate chemical resistance to prevent unwanted reactions with sample materials.

Choose working temperature:

Please note there are maximum temperature (can be maintained < 1 hr) and continuous working temperature (safe, continuous use temperature)

The maximum working temperature depends on the heating element used, and can be divided into four categories:

a. 250 ~ 1250 °C Fe-Cr-Al or Ni-Cr-Al alloy heating element K type thermocouple
b. 1300 ~ 1600 °C SiC heating element S type thermocouple
c. 1600 ~ 1800 °C MoSi2 heating element B type thermocouple

Select the processing tube corresponding to the furnace max temperature:
a. Quartz tube: ≤ 1200 °C in 1 atm; ≤ 1000 °C under vacuum
b. Mullite tube: ≤ 1500 °C in 1 atm; ≤ 1300 °C under vacuum
c. Alumina tube: ≤ 1800 °C in 1 atm; ≤ 1500 °C under vacuum