What cannot be heated in a quartz crucible

In the lab, researchers use some special equipment for heating. This includes quartz crucibles. They are stable and heat-resistant. But the main component of this product is silicon dioxide. So, some substances cannot withstand heat.

1. Caustic soda.

Alkaline substances are one of the substances that quartz crucibles cannot melt. Alkaline substances react with silicon dioxide in a quartz crucible when heated. They will form silicates, which will break the crucible. Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and quartz crucibles are both made of silicon dioxide. They will react with each other. 2NaOH + SiO2 = Na2SiO3 + H2O

2. Molten sodium carbonate crystals.

Sodium carbonate reacts with quartz crucibles at high temperatures. It forms sodium silicate and carbon dioxide. The equation is: Na2CO3 + SiO2 = Na2SiO3 + CO2.

3. Do not use it to heat caustic soda or alkaline metals and their oxides.

Know the properties of the substances you will melt to prevent accidents. They must not react with the quartz crucible at high temperatures. Also, users should check its integrity regularly during use. This is to ensure it can withstand high temperatures.