A copper crucible is a type of vessel designed to melt and hold metals in fuel-fired, electric resistance, induction or tilted furnaces. They are used in a variety of different applications and come in a wide range of traditional and specialized shapes. They are usually equipped with pouring spouts to facilitate transfer and handling of molten metal when necessary.
The material used to make a crucible can be a key factor in the overall performance of the crucible and your operations. Some crucible materials provide more desirable characteristics than others. For example, some crucibles offer greater thermal conductivity than other types. This is important to your operations if you have high temperature requirements or if you operate in a region with low temperatures.
Specialized crucibles can be manufactured to handle specialty metals or alloys. These are typically crucibles with a thick wall of ceramic or yttria-ceria layers that can withstand the heat and chemical conditions associated with melting or processing these metals.
Crucible liners can also have significant effects on crucible performance. Many crucible liners are made from carbon-bonded graphite or silicon carbide, but other more exotic materials are available for applications that require unique lining characteristics.
Liners are a crucial component of the crucible and must be handled with care to minimize breakage due to thermal shock. Overfilling a liner can increase this stress significantly. Graphite, coated graphite and FABMATE liners are particularly susceptible to breakage because of their high reactivity when molten.