Zirconium Crucibles from XRF Scientific

Compared to platinum (Pt), the use of zirconium (Zr) in laboratory settings is a relatively new concept. This largely stems from the material’s comparative immaturity: Platinum has been used in preparative labware for over 200 years, while the industrial method of processing high-purity metallic zirconium was only discovered within the last century. Despite this, zirconium crucibles have become a popular choice for highly-corrosive fusion processes in analytical chemistry and chemical processing.

Zirconium is a transition metal that is most commonly used as a refractory for high-temperature applications; owing to its extremely high melting point of approximately 1855°C (3371°F). It owes its corrosion resistance to the formation of an extremely stable zirconium oxide (ZrO) film at the metal-air interface, which makes the underlying metal inert in the presence of most acids and alkalis. With similar thermochemical properties to platinum, zirconium crucibles are often used as a cost-effective replacement to conventional platinum labware. Although, platinum and zirconium crucibles can coexist for niche experimentation; zirconium crucibles are preferable in fusions involving lithium salts, for example.

The Precious Metals fabrication business of XRF Scientific has recently expanded our product range to include a selection of high-purity zirconium crucibles to meet the varied needs of the modern chemist. These include:

• Fluxer Style Zirconium Crucibles feature a high vertical profile (43 – 44 mm) with a narrow rim. The internal diameter ranges from 40 – 46 mm, with a wall thickness of between 9 – 12 mm.
• Low Form Zirconium Crucibles are available with volumetric capacities of 5 – 100 ml to suit the requirements of various sample preparation processes.
• Standard Form Zirconium Crucibles have a narrower base to upper diameter than Low Form products, supporting greater maximum volumes of up to 300 ml.
• Straight Wall Zirconium Crucibles are available with a single diametric measurement (27 – 124 mm) owing to their uniform vertical profile. These boast the highest volume capabilities of our entire zirconium crucible range (<1000 ml)

XRF Scientific: Platinum & Zirconium Crucible Suppliers

XRF Scientific is a trusted supplier of labware and fusion products for X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy sample preparation. Alongside our new range of zirconium crucibles, we also supply a full range of industry-tested platinum products. We outlined each of these in a previous post: The Range of Platinum Crucibles Available from XRF Scientific.

If you have any questions about the benefits of using zirconium crucibles in your fusion application, simply contact a member of the XRF Scientific team today.