In daily use of high-temperature tube furnaces, it is common to encounter situations where protective or reactive gases need to be evacuated. So, let's take a look at this type of tube furnace - high-temperature gas tube furnace!

High temperature gas tube furnace with a maximum temperature of 1700 ℃ (click on the picture to view product details)

1. Core Function: Precise Control in High Temperature Gas Environments
High temperature gas tube furnace is a device that heats the material inside the tube through resistance wire and introduces reaction gas and protective gas. Its core function is to accurately control the temperature and atmosphere environment, providing ideal conditions for material processing:
Temperature control: The working temperature range is wide, usually up to 300 ℃ to 1700 ℃, and some devices support higher temperatures. By using artificial intelligence PID regulation technology and a multi-stage temperature control system (such as a 30 stage heating program), a temperature control accuracy of ± 1 ℃ is achieved to ensure that the material is uniformly heated at the set temperature.
Atmosphere control: Supports various protective atmospheres such as hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, oxygen, etc., and can accurately adjust gas flow rate and composition to prevent material oxidation or decomposition. For example, sintering silicon nitride ceramics in nitrogen gas or reducing metal oxides in hydrogen gas.
Vacuum environment: Some equipment is equipped with a vacuum pump, which can be evacuated to a low pressure state and combined with high temperature to achieve processes such as oxygen free sintering or vapor deposition (CVD).

2. Technical features: Efficient, stable, and secure design
Structure and Materials:
Furnace body design: Adopting a double-layer shell structure, integrating air or water cooling systems to achieve rapid temperature rise and fall and surface temperature control. The furnace is usually made of high-purity alumina polycrystalline fibers or ceramic fibers, which have better insulation performance.
Furnace tube material: optional corundum tube, quartz tube or heat-resistant alloy tube, resistant to high temperature and chemical corrosion. Quartz tubes have good transparency and are suitable for experiments that require observing material reactions; Corundum tubes have high mechanical strength and are suitable for high temperature and high pressure environments.
Heating element: using silicon carbon rod, silicon molybdenum rod or resistance wire as the heating element, generating heat after being energized, and heating the material inside the furnace tube through thermal radiation and convection.

Control system:
Intelligent temperature control: equipped with thermocouple sensors and intelligent temperature controllers to monitor and adjust the temperature inside the furnace in real time. Support multi-stage program temperature control, users can preset the heating rate, insulation time, and cooling curve.
Atmosphere management: precise control of gas flow rate through quality flow meters, combined with anti backflow devices and exhaust gas collection systems, to ensure experimental safety.
Safety protection: Integrated overcurrent and over temperature protection devices, automatically power off when the temperature or current exceeds the set value to prevent equipment damage.

Convenience of operation:
Openable design: The furnace can be opened for easy cleaning of furnace tubes and observation of material heating status. Some equipment adopts vertical or horizontal structures to meet different experimental needs.
Integrated control: The control cabinet is integrated into the lower part of the furnace, with a simple and intuitive operation panel that supports remote monitoring (such as IoT technology).

3. Application areas: Materials Science, Industrial Heat Treatment, and Sharp Tools for Scientific Research Experiments
Material preparation:
Ceramic sintering: High temperature sintering of high-performance ceramics such as alumina and silicon nitride in an inert atmosphere to prevent oxidation or decomposition. For example, silicon nitride bearing balls sintered at 1800 ℃ in nitrogen gas have high hardness.
Nanomaterial synthesis: Deposition of nanostructures (such as carbon nanotubes, graphene) on substrates through chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or control of nanoparticle size using solvothermal method.
Semiconductor thin film growth: Epitaxial growth of semiconductor thin films such as silicon and gallium arsenide on a single crystal substrate, used to manufacture high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs).

Metal heat treatment:
Annealing and quenching: eliminating internal stress in metals and improving processing performance in argon gas (such as annealing of titanium alloy aviation parts); Alternatively, quenching can be achieved through rapid cooling to increase hardness.
Carburizing and nitriding: methane or carbon monoxide is introduced to form a carbide or nitride layer on the metal surface, improving wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

Preparation of composite materials:
In situ reaction: promotes chemical reactions between the matrix and the reinforcement at high temperatures (such as the reaction of Si and C to form SiC), forming strong interfacial bonding. For example, carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide composite materials are formed by hot pressing at 1800 ℃ in argon gas, which is more resistant to high temperatures.
Hot pressing: Combining high temperature and pressure to promote material densification and reduce porosity.

Catalyst preparation:
Carrier pretreatment: High temperature calcination of alumina carrier to remove surface impurities and adjust pore structure.
Active component loading: Metal salt solution is loaded onto a carrier by impregnation method, and after high-temperature reduction, a highly dispersed catalyst (such as automobile exhaust catalyst) is formed.

Environmental simulation and performance testing:
Corrosion resistance test: Introduce corrosive gases such as SO ₂ and CO ₂, and evaluate their lifespan by accelerating the material corrosion process at high temperatures.
Radiation damage simulation: Simulate the radiation damage of nuclear waste container materials at 900 ℃ in argon gas and test their anti swelling performance.

4. Typical application scenario cases
Preparation of silicon nitride ceramic bearing balls:
Process: High temperature sintering at 1800 ℃ in nitrogen, with high hardness, used for high-speed machine tool spindles.
Equipment requirements: Supports high temperature (≥ 1800 ℃), nitrogen atmosphere control, and high-purity furnace tubes (such as corundum tubes).

Carbon nanotube growth:
Process: In a mixed atmosphere of argon/hydrogen, acetylene is used as the carbon source and iron catalyst is used for catalytic growth.
Equipment requirements: precise control of gas ratio (such as Ar: H ₂=9:1), high temperature (≥ 800 ℃), and transparency of quartz furnace tube.

Synthesis of positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries:
Process: Calcination of lithium manganese based cathode material at 900 ℃ in oxygen to enhance capacity.
Equipment requirements: oxygen atmosphere control, high temperature (≥ 900 ℃), programmed temperature control (multi-stage heating).

High temperature gas tube furnace that can tilt and rotate (click on the image to view product details)

5. Operation precautions and safety regulations
Environmental requirements: There should be no flammable or explosive materials, corrosive gases around the equipment, and good ventilation should be maintained.
Heating and cooling:
Low temperature section heating: When starting the cold furnace, the heating rate should not be too fast (recommended 10-20 ℃/min) to avoid severe material reactions that may cause furnace tube rupture.
High temperature operation: When the furnace tube temperature is greater than 100 ℃, it is forbidden to feed in or out or open the furnace cover. It should be naturally cooled to room temperature before operation.
Atmosphere management:
Gas flow rate: During ventilation, it is necessary to stabilize the airflow and install anti backflow devices and exhaust gas collection systems at the outlet.
Exhaust gas treatment: Avoid inhaling the gas emitted from the furnace or treatment tank to prevent poisoning or suffocation.
Equipment maintenance:
Regular inspection: Check whether the electrical connection of the temperature control system is good and whether the connection points of the heating elements are tightened.
Furnace tube support: Both ends of the corundum tube need to be fixed with support frames to prevent bending or breaking at high temperatures.
Emergency Management:
Abnormal situation: Do not leave during the experiment. If abnormal temperature or odor is found, immediately turn off the power and have it inspected by professional personnel.
Burn protection: Wear insulated gloves when taking and placing samples, and transfer the crucible to a dryer for cooling to prevent moisture absorption and explosion.Click to learn more Tube furnaces! Or click on online customer service to learn more about product information!