Graphite Crucible manufacture-Interim Report No. 3: Thermogravimetric study of the oxidation of some natural Graphites

Abstract

Natural crystalline graphite is a primary constituent of graphite crucibles. Till recently crucible grade graphites from Madagascar and Ceylon have the field all over the world as raw materials par excellence for this purpose. All graphites have a remarkable resistance to heat and are not wetted by molten metals. They however, differ from each other in their susceptibility to oxidation this difference may afford a basis for comparing various graphites with each other. Workers in U.S.A., Japan and Germany have studied the oxidation characteristics of various graphites in an attempt to evaluate locally available materials with those from Madagascar and Ceylon. Such studies have thrown consideration light on the nature of different graphites. It was thought therefore, that a comparative evaluation of the oxidation characteristics of certain readily available Indian graphites would prove very fruitful in assessing their suitability for graphite crucible manufacture in India.