What is a tube furnace?
A tube furnace is a laboratory furnace that uniformly heats a cylindrical work tube of quartz glass or ceramic to 1100 or 1200 degrees Celsius. Your sample sits inside the tube while the heating elements surround it, providing a precisely controlled, uniform temperature. Because the process takes place in a closed tube, you can work under a controlled atmosphere or under vacuum. This lets you carry out reproducible heat treatments on small samples without unwanted reaction with the surrounding air. In this category you will find the tube furnaces from Thermo Scientific Lindberg Blue M, supplied with advice, installation and maintenance from Poly Temp Scientific.
Single or multiple heating zones
Tube furnaces are available with a single heating zone or with multiple zones. Your choice determines how you control the temperature along the length of the work tube.
Single zone: the entire heated length of the tube is kept at a uniform temperature. This is the simplest setup and is suited to annealing, sintering and heat treatment of small samples where you need a constant temperature at a fixed point.
Multiple zones: each zone has its own controller, so you can set a temperature profile or a longer uniform zone along the tube. This is useful for material synthesis, CVD and processes that require a temperature gradient or a larger even zone.
Why buy tube furnaces from Poly Temp?
- Tube furnaces from Thermo Scientific Lindberg Blue M for 1100 and 1200 degrees Celsius
- Single-zone and three-zone configurations, plus separate controllers
- Advice on work tube, atmosphere or vacuum setup and the right temperature for your process
- Delivery, installation and maintenance throughout the Netherlands
- Application-focused advice for materials research, chemistry and the pharmaceutical industry and biotech
Applications of a tube furnace
A tube furnace is used wherever heat treatment under a controlled environment is required. Because you control the atmosphere inside the work tube, the sample is protected from unwanted oxidation or reaction.
Controlled atmosphere: by passing an inert or reactive gas (such as nitrogen, argon, hydrogen or forming gas) through the tube, you heat samples without oxidation or under a specific reactive gas flow.
Vacuum: with a sealed work tube and a pump setup, you treat samples under reduced pressure, which prevents oxidation and enables degassing.
Sintering and annealing: consolidating powders into solid materials and relieving stress or recrystallising metals and ceramics.
CVD and material synthesis: chemical vapour deposition and the synthesis of new materials, where a precise temperature profile and a controlled gas flow are decisive.
Which tube furnaces does Poly Temp supply?
Our range consists of tube furnaces and a controller from Thermo Scientific Lindberg Blue M. Below you will find the setup and application of each model.
Mini-Mite tube furnace 1100 degrees Celsius: the Lindberg Blue M Mini-Mite tube furnace is a compact single-zone furnace up to 1100 degrees Celsius. Ideal for small samples, method development and work with limited bench space.
Three-zone tube furnace 1100 degrees Celsius: the Lindberg Blue M three-zone tube furnace offers three separately controlled heating zones up to 1100 degrees Celsius. This lets you set a temperature profile or create a longer uniform zone, suited to CVD and material synthesis.
Split-hinge tube furnace 1200 degrees Celsius: the Lindberg Blue M split-hinge tube furnace has a hinged, fold-open housing up to 1200 degrees Celsius. The clamshell construction gives easy access to the work tube when loading and changing samples.
Tube furnace controller 1200 degrees Celsius: the Lindberg Blue M 1200 degrees Celsius controller is the separate temperature controller for the 1200 degrees Celsius tube furnaces, for accurate setting and monitoring of your process.
Tube furnace or muffle furnace?
A tube furnace and a muffle furnace reach comparable temperatures but differ in chamber shape and application. A tube furnace heats a narrow work tube and is intended for processes under a controlled atmosphere or vacuum, with a controlled gas flow through the tube. A muffle furnace has a larger, box-shaped chamber and is intended for ash determination, incineration and heating larger or multiple samples in ordinary air. If you work with a gas flow, inert atmosphere or vacuum on small samples, choose a tube furnace. If you need more volume or work in air as standard, a muffle furnace is the logical choice.
Service and advice
In addition to supplying tube furnaces, Poly Temp Scientific handles installation and periodic maintenance. Our specialists advise you on the right furnace, work tube, atmosphere or vacuum setup and the number of heating zones for your application. For advice or a quotation, please contact us. You can read more about the manufacturer on our Thermo Scientific brand page.
Frequently asked questions about tube furnaces
What is a tube furnace and what do you use it for?
A tube furnace uniformly heats a cylindrical work tube of quartz glass or ceramic to 1100 or 1200 degrees Celsius. You use it to heat small samples under a controlled atmosphere or vacuum, for example for sintering, annealing, CVD, material synthesis and heat treatment.
What is the difference between single and multiple heating zones?
With a single zone, the heated length of the tube is kept at a uniform temperature, ideal for annealing and sintering. With multiple zones you control each zone separately, so you can set a temperature profile or a longer even zone. That is useful for CVD and material synthesis.
Can a tube furnace work under vacuum or controlled atmosphere?
Yes. Because the process takes place in a closed work tube, you can pass an inert or reactive gas through the tube or place the tube under vacuum with a pump setup. This lets you treat samples without unwanted oxidation or reaction with the air.
Which tube furnaces does Poly Temp supply?
We supply the tube furnaces from Thermo Scientific Lindberg Blue M: the compact Mini-Mite with a single zone up to 1100 degrees Celsius, the three-zone version up to 1100 degrees Celsius, the split-hinge tube furnace up to 1200 degrees Celsius and the separate controller for the 1200 degrees Celsius models.
Tube furnace or muffle furnace: which should I choose?
Choose a tube furnace if you heat small samples under a controlled gas flow, inert atmosphere or vacuum. Choose a muffle furnace if you need a larger chamber for ash determination, incineration or heating larger or multiple samples in ordinary air.
Does Poly Temp provide advice, installation and maintenance?
Yes. We advise on the right furnace, work tube and setup, deliver and install the tube furnace and handle periodic maintenance. Our specialists operate throughout the Netherlands. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation or a quotation.
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