PyroCeram (old Corning Dow brand of sapphire) is used in stirrer hotplates, and forms the basis of the Visions brand of translucent cookware. It is
an artificial Al2O3 crystal, and was formerly used in both NASA rocket cones, and the old line of Centura dinner ware. Not only is the material much
stronger than ordinary Pyrex, but it has very desirable thermal properties which make it very rugged, even when repeatedly heated cooled to relative
extremes. Have seen high-spec glassware designed for distillation of diazomethane (for example), and have heard there was some alumina "glassware" at
some point in time (late 1960's), but I have never seen it. Having a standard ground set made of this material would be quite the find. If anyone
has any info to pass on, please post in this thread. Thanks.watson.fawkes - 13-2-2009 at 23:24
Look up Coors Technical Ceramics for a current vendor of alumina lab ware.Globey - 14-2-2009 at 09:51
Quote:
Originally posted by watson.fawkes
Look up Coors Technical Ceramics for a current vendor of alumina lab ware.
Many thanks watson.fawkes. There sure is some beautiful stuff made...for a price! Hey, didn't see any organic sets with ground joints yet.
Preference is to have the ceramic transparent (or at least translucent, like the Visions by Corning). Thanks again.Eclectic - 14-2-2009 at 11:45
Ceramic crystals in a glass matrix, and not as chemically resistant as borosilicate glass....Try searching for fused silica or Vicor labware for a
better choice. Boiling HCl will etch Pyroceram.
[Edited on 2-14-2009 by Eclectic]pyro6314 - 12-10-2009 at 21:10
Hey sorry to dig up an old thread but I need some confirmation. I had some faint idea that this Corning Visions stovetop cookware I just picked up was
borosilicate glass, then I found this thread.
So if these pots were this PyroCeram it would probably be a bad idea to boil down Sulfuric Acid in such a vessel? Can anyone vouch? Even if no they
are still perfectly safe to directly heat on a hot plate and such correct?
ThanksEclectic - 12-10-2009 at 23:25
You can do it, but probably will get some etching and contamination.
Just a little surface roughening.
[Edited on 10-13-2009 by Eclectic]bitteorca - 6-11-2009 at 12:35
You might want to check out Refractron (www.refractron.com). They sell a variety of technical, porous ceramics.
