Iridium crucibles are high-temperature-resistant containers primarily made from high-purity iridium metal, maintaining exceptional performance under extreme conditions. When selecting iridium crucible, prioritize raw material purity, which should comply with the SM-Ir99.95 standard, ensuring iridium powder purity is no less than 99.95%.
Based on manufacturing processes, iridium crucibles are primarily categorized into three types: Cast iridium crucible feature a rough surface and loose density, potentially exhibiting sand holes that may cause leakage issues; Rolled-welded iridium crucible boast a smooth, flat surface and a dense internal structure, eliminating defects like porosity, voids, and layers present in cast crucibles, significantly extending service life; Sheet-spun seamless iridium crucible feature uniform wall thickness with no seams or weld points, achieving dimensional accuracy 100 times higher than standard specifications.
When selecting iridium crucible, inspect surface quality to ensure smoothness and cleanliness. Defects such as sand inclusions, cracks, or sand holes are unacceptable. The density of an iridium crucible should not be less than 21 g/cm³, and no leakage is permitted. Spun iridium crucibles can achieve a precision of 0.02 mm, far exceeding the national standard's dimensional tolerance requirement of 2 mm.
Iridium crucible price is influenced by multiple factors, including raw material costs, manufacturing processes, and specifications. Market data indicates iridium powder raw material costs approximately $147 per gram.
Significant price variations exist among iridium crucibles due to differing manufacturing techniques. Spun-formed iridium crucibles command higher prices owing to superior quality, enhanced purity and density, and extended service life. In contrast, pressed sintered crucibles exhibit lower quality, reduced purity and density, and shorter service life, making them comparatively cheaper.
The global iridium crucible market is projected to grow at a steady compound annual growth rate from 2025 to 2031. Priced as specialized equipment for high-end crystal growth applications, iridium crucibles are primarily used in scenarios demanding stringent contamination control.
Although iridium crucibles are significantly more expensive than tungsten or molybdenum alternatives, they cause minimal contamination to sapphire. Balancing cost and performance, many companies select different grades of iridium crucibles based on specific production process requirements.
As a global leader in precious metal materials, Heraeus' iridium crucible set industry benchmarks. Manufactured from high-purity iridium powder, they meet the GB/T 1422 standard requiring iridium powder purity no less than SM-Ir99.95 grade.
In terms of performance, Heraeus iridium crucible can operate continuously for thousands of hours at temperatures ranging from 2100 to 2200°C, making them ideal vessels for growing high-melting-point oxide crystals. Typical dimensions include diameters ranging from 50 to 200 mm, depths from 50 to 200 mm, wall thicknesses between 1.5 and 2.0 mm (with a maximum thickness of 4.0 mm), and weights varying from 300 g to 10 kg.
Key advantages of Heraeus iridium crucibles encompass exceptional high-temperature oxidation resistance, outstanding chemical stability, and excellent thermal strength. These properties make Heraeus iridium crucibles the preferred containers for growing germanium-gallium garnet single crystals for computer memory devices via the direct-pull method, as well as yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) and yttrium iron garnet (YIG) single crystals for solid-state lasers.
If you have discarded iridium crucibles, please contact DONGSHENG Precious Metals Recycling Company. We offer premium prices for recycling all types of precious metal iridium crucible.
Worldwide, the iridium crucible market is dominated by several specialized manufacturers with strong technical capabilities. These enterprises possess advanced production processes and quality control systems, enabling them to supply iridium crucibles that meet high-end industrial demands.
According to industry reports, major global producers include Heraeus, Johnson Matthey, Tanaka, Materion, and Argor-Ideaques. These companies boast extensive histories and accumulated expertise in the iridium crucible sector.
The iridium crucible products from these top manufacturers each have distinct characteristics. Some specialize in rolled welded structure iridium crucibles, while others excel in spun seamless iridium crucibles. They maintain industry-leading standards in material purity, processing precision, and service life.
Their iridium crucible find extensive applications in the synthetic crystal industry, synthetic gemstones, and sapphire crystal growth processes. These manufacturers are also actively developing new iridium alloys and composite crucibles, such as Ir-40Rh and Ir-70Rh alloys, to enhance crucible performance while reducing operational costs for users.
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