Small tube furnaces are compact, moderately powerful laboratory-grade heating devices, typically with a tube inner diameter less than 100mm. They are suitable for high-temperature processing of small sample batches, material synthesis, and atmospheric reactions. Their core advantages lie in their small footprint, high temperature control precision, and ease of operation. They are widely used in university research, materials development, and small-scale production.

2. Common Categories
   By Heating Method:
   Resistance-Heated Tube Furnaces (economical and practical, suitable for routine experiments);
   Infrared-Heated Tube Furnaces (fast heating rates and energy efficiency).
   By Installation Method:
   Desktop Furnaces (small footprint, suitable for laboratory benchtops);
   Vertical Tube Furnaces (vertical tube design, saving horizontal space).
   II. Main Applications
   Small tube furnaces, due to their small sample processing capacity (typically ≤50g per batch) and high experimental flexibility, are typically used in the following applications:

Material Synthesis and Heat Treatment:
Ceramic Powder Sintering, Nanomaterial Preparation (such as oxides and nitrides)1;
Metal Sample Annealing, Quenching, and other Heat Treatment Processes. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD):
Small-scale thin film deposition (such as SiO₂ and SiC thin films) requires use with a gas flow controller.
Atmosphere Reaction Experiments:
Sensitive material reactions are conducted under the protection of inert gases (N₂, Ar) or reducing gases (H₂).
Teaching and Demonstration:
University experimental teaching, demonstrating high-temperature reaction phenomena and the impact of temperature on material properties.
III. Equipment Selection and Support Recommendations

1. Key Selection Criteria
   Temperature Requirements: For temperatures above 1200°C, a corundum furnace tube with a molybdenum wire heating element is preferred.
   Vacuum Requirements: For basic vacuum (10⁻¹Pa), a VRD-4/8 vacuum pump is recommended; for high vacuum, a molecular pump is required.
   Automation Level: It is recommended to select a model with a touchscreen control that supports program storage and data logging. 2. Recommended Supporting Equipment
   Vacuum Pump: Feiyue VRD series two-stage rotary vane pump (such as the VRD-8, suitable for small vacuum tube furnaces, features fast pumping speed and low noise);
   Gas Purification Device: Removes moisture and oxygen from the reaction gas to prevent sample contamination;
   Sample Boat: Select a quartz boat (≤1000°C) or corundum boat (≤1600°C) depending on the temperature.
   IV. Precautions for Use
   Safe Operation:
   Avoid sudden cooling and heating of high-temperature furnace tubes to prevent cracking;
   When operating flammable or explosive gases, keep away from sources of ignition and install a gas leak alarm.
   Maintenance:
   Regularly clean the furnace tubes to remove any impurities and inspect the heating element for signs of aging;
   Lubricant in the vacuum pump must be replaced according to the manufacturer’s instructions.