A Guide to Ceramic Crucible Selection for Contamination-Sensitive Processes

For processes where material purity is critical, crucible selection can make or break product quality. Here is what to consider.

Alumina Crucibles

High-purity alumina crucibles offer excellent chemical inertness and thermal shock resistance for most general sintering and melting applications up to 1750°C.

Zirconia Fixtures

For processes requiring tighter dimensional control at temperature, yttria-stabilized zirconia fixtures provide superior stability, though at a higher cost than alumina.

Avoiding Contamination

Always verify crucible purity specifications against your process tolerances — even trace contamination from lower-purity ceramics can affect sensitive electronic or aerospace materials.