What processes can be used for high-temperature vacuum atmosphere tube furnaces?

The high-temperature vacuum atmosphere tube furnace, with its precise temperature control, vacuum environment and atmosphere regulation capabilities, can complete various processes such as material sintering, heat treatment, surface modification, semiconductor technology, chemical synthesis, preparation of new energy materials, and cultural relic protection. The specific instructions are as follows:

Material sintering and preparation:
Ceramic material sintering: Sintering non oxide ceramics such as silicon nitride and silicon carbide in an inert atmosphere to avoid oxidation at high temperatures. For example, sintering alumina ceramics in a vacuum environment at 1600 ℃ can remove pores and impurities from the body, increase density, and improve bending strength.
Preparation of composite materials: Prepare metal based composite materials in a reducing atmosphere (such as hydrogen nitrogen mixture) to prevent substrate oxidation.
Nanomaterial synthesis: synthesis of nano metal powders (such as nano silver, nickel) and ceramic powders (such as Al ₂ O3) under vacuum or specific atmosphere SiC）， Avoid oxidation impurities and control particle size distribution (up to 50nm or less).

Heat treatment process:
Vacuum annealing: Vacuum annealing is performed on precision metal parts such as bearings and cutting tools to eliminate internal stress and maintain surface smoothness. For example, after solid solution treatment in the furnace, the grain size of aircraft engine turbine blades can be controlled at the micrometer level, which improves the fatigue life of nickel based alloys.
Atmosphere quenching: Quenching steel in a specific gas atmosphere to control the thickness of the surface oxide layer and improve hardness uniformity.
Carbonization/Nitriding: Injecting carbon/nitrogen containing gas into the furnace to achieve surface infiltration treatment of the metal at high temperatures, enhancing wear resistance.

Surface treatment and coating:
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD): A reaction gas is introduced at high temperature to deposit a thin film on the surface of a material, such as preparing diamond films, silicon carbide coatings, etc.
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD): Evaporation or sputtering of metals or compounds in a vacuum environment to form coatings on material surfaces, such as decorative coatings, tool hard coatings, etc.

Semiconductor and Electronics Industry:
Wafer processing: High temperature doping and oxidation of silicon wafers in vacuum or inert atmosphere to ensure surface cleanliness. For example, vacuum annealing of silicon-based devices (such as chips, LED epitaxial wafers) can eliminate ion implantation damage, activate dopants (such as P, B), and improve carrier mobility.
Electronic ceramic sintering: When sintering piezoelectric ceramics and ferrite cores, the grain growth direction is adjusted through atmosphere control to optimize electrical properties.

Chemical synthesis and decomposition:
Catalyst preparation: Study the decomposition behavior and products of minerals and catalysts at high temperatures under controlled atmospheric conditions. For example, the vacuum reduction preparation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) catalyst (Pt/C) involves reducing Pt precursor into nanoparticles with uniform particle size distribution in an H ₂ atmosphere (vacuum degree of 10 ⁻ Pa).
High temperature decomposition: The high-temperature decomposition of materials in a specific atmosphere, such as the pyrolysis of organic compounds, the reduction of metal oxides, etc.

Development of new energy materials:
Preparation of lithium battery materials: Sintering lithium battery cathode materials (such as lithium cobalt oxide and ternary materials) under vacuum or inert atmosphere, controlling oxygen content and crystal structure, and improving battery performance. For example, by controlling the oxygen partial pressure (10-100Pa) and temperature gradient (preheating section 500 ℃ → reaction section 900 ℃ → cooling section 200 ℃) inside the furnace, uniform doping of LiNi ₀. 8Co ₀. 1Mn ₀. 1O ₂ (NCM811) material can be achieved, and the battery cycle life can be increased.
Fuel cell materials: Preparation of key materials such as electrolytes and catalysts for fuel cells, optimization of material structure and performance.

Cultural relic protection and special analysis:
Cultural relic restoration treatment: Vacuum rust removal and stabilization treatment of metal cultural relics (such as bronze ware), decomposing rust products (such as Cu ₂ (OH) ∝ Cl) in a low-temperature vacuum environment (100-200 ℃) to avoid damage to cultural relics caused by traditional chemical treatment.
Simulating the space environment of the universe: testing the long-term service performance of alloys (such as titanium alloys and high-temperature alloys) in vacuum or low-pressure atmospheres, and studying mechanisms such as micro oxidation and thermal fatigue.