Crucibles and lab equipment
Current technology
Crucibles and related laboratory equipment made of platinum group metals, primarily iridium and platinum, are used to manufacture optical glass and grow single crystals.
These metals have high heat resistance (in production processes it can reach up to 1,800 °C) and high inertness with long contact when growing single crystals or melting optical glass.
Market
The constantly growing demand for electronics with screens (smartphones, tablets, virtual reality glasses) creates demand for high-quality glass without impurities.
In turn, this creates a demand for crucibles and related laboratory equipment for melting such glasses.
Challenges of current technology
The main disadvantage of iridium for the production of crucibles and laboratory equipment is its price.
Platinum is cheaper than iridium, but its use is limited to processes with a lower temperature of about 1,500 °C.
Positive impact of palladium
Palladium, especially dispersion-strengthened palladium, cannot become a complete replacement for platinum and iridium due to its lower melting point.
Its introduction into the alloy composition, however, is possible for non-thermally loaded elements of equipment for the production of single crystals and optical glass. It is also possible to use a multi-layer structure for crucibles, where the contact area with the mass is made of inert iridium, and the outer one is made of dispersion-strengthened palladium to ensure physical strength.
The introduction of palladium, which has half the density of platinum, could reduce costs for manufacturers by reducing the weight of equipment while maintaining the volume and physical properties.
To find out more about the physical and chemical qualities of palladium, see – Chemistry.
To find out more about palladium alloys, see the following scientific publications:
- Trumic, B., Gomidželovic, L., Marjanovic, S., Ivanovic, A., Krstic, V., & Dimitrijevic, S. (2016). Pt-Pd system: investigation of mechanical properties. Kovove Mater, 54, 1-7. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4149/km_2016_2_139
- Jiri Lieberzeit, (2022). Comparison of Platinum Laboratory Crucibles for Glass Melting (Case Study). The University of Chemistry and Technology. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.28841.26726/1