Author: Dave Cockett

Carbon nanotubes, sometimes abbreviated to CNTs, are at the forefront of advanced nanomaterials research and development (R&D). A nanomaterial is defined as having constituent parts with nanoscale dimensions usually as small as a few hundred, down to the tens of nanometres (nm). At this remarkably small scale, materials are usually synthesized using specialist furnaces and vacuum processes such as chemical vapor deposition. Carbon nanotube ovens encompass the gradually expanding range of thermal processing products that are suitable for CNT synthesis. In this blog post, we will explore some of the principles of carbon nanotube ovens in more detail. First, however,…

Technical ceramics are among the highest performing engineered materials on earth, displaying unprecedented thermodynamic characteristics. From low thermal conductivities to high mechanical stability at temperatures exceeding 1000°C (1832°F), many fine ceramic materials are naturally suited for industrial insulation purposes. What is Ceramic Insulation? The most effective and efficient method of integrating ceramic insulation into ovens and furnaces is to utilize components built using refractory ceramic fibers. These low-mass filaments or threads are typically generated from oxide ceramics like alumina (Al2O3) or silica (Si3O4), using a choice of precision or bulk manufacturing processes, such as: Chemical vapor deposition Extrusion Melt drawing…

Precision requires accuracy, which means that your industrial oven must accurately meet unique specifications to ensure precise heat treating results. The demands of many thermal processing applications can be satisfied by standard off-the-shelf industrial ovens and furnaces. Yet there are many industries and individual processes that require a defter approach. Custom industrial ovens are the primary solution for professionals with unique heat treatment objectives and requirements. Thermcraft’s Custom Industrial Oven Capabilities Thermcraft is one of the industry-leading custom industrial oven manufacturers worldwide. Based in the US, we have almost 50 years’ experience in the design and supply of bespoke thermal…

Diffusion furnaces exploit a complex form of advanced thermal processing to assist the upward trajectory of the semiconductor industry. Since the invention of the silicon (Si) transistor and subsequently the integrated circuit (IC) in the 1950s, the semiconductor market has grown into a new titan of industry worth more than $400 billion. Diffusion furnaces have proven instrumental to that success, which has brought about a host of technological advancements and developments in modern electronics. Having written several posts on the topic of diffusion furnaces, we decided to put together a brief guide to advanced thermal processing of modern semiconductors. Purpose…

Numerous thermal processing formats are available to researchers and manufacturers handling relatively small-volume samples or operations with low throughput. At these scales, benchtop laboratory ovens tend to excel – yet the geometry of the thermal processing chamber can be a limiting factor in certain application areas. Research and development (R&D) into the generation of fine ceramic filaments led to the very first cylindrical heating chambers in the early 20th Century, and the tube furnace has since become a common sight on factory floors and in materials laboratories worldwide. In this blog post, Thermcraft explores when to use a tube furnace…

Millenia after it was first discovered, mankind is still obsessed with fire. We rely on combustion fuels for countless industrial and everyday processes, from domestic heating to thermal processing. Yet it can be an inconvenient method of generating heat – particularly in industrial markets. Natural gas furnaces are still broadly used in heat treatment markets, but manufacturers more commonly rely on the comparatively sophisticated method of generating heat from electricity. Metal and ceramic heating elements operate on the principle of electric resistance heating, which is defined as the heat generated by a material with high electrical resistance as a current…

Diffusion is the process of molecules moving from an area of high concentration to a low one. It occurs routinely within and between liquids, gases, and solids in daily life. This process is exploited by diffusion furnaces, which elevate the temperature of workpieces and introduce gaseous elements to encourage solid state diffusion. Solid state diffusion occurs when molecules of a substance mix with a host solid at the atomic level. This mechanism of diffusion was a scientific curiosity for many years but has since become an integral process in semiconductor manufacturing. What is a Diffusion Furnace? A diffusion furnace is…

Box furnaces are ubiquitous heat treatment components in laboratory and industrial facilities. They are widely available in floor standing and benchtop variations and are routinely used to treat single products, or individual batches, at temperatures exceeding 1200°C (2192°F). Ceramic insulation is subsequently used to improve thermal uniformity throughout the processing chamber. This offers the added benefit of limiting heat propagation through the chamber walls, which could be damaging to sensitive components. In this blog post, we will explore ceramic insulation for box furnaces in more detail. Ceramic Insulation: Boards and Blankets The two standard variations of ceramic insulation for box…

Laboratory furnaces have proven instrumental in advancing the capabilities of modern electronics. They are key components for generating intermediate materials like single-crystal semiconductor ingots, which are subsequently used in the manufacture of almost all advanced electronic architectures. Capacitors. Diodes. Integrated circuits. Transistors. Each of these fundamental electronic components can be engineered and optimized using semiconducting materials like silicon (Si) and its various compounds. This has facilitated a new generation of high functionality printed circuit and wiring boards (PCB/PWBs), organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), photovoltaic cells, and more. We have reached the current high-technology landscape of electronics using advanced laboratory furnace…