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Quartz Rods and Solid Cylinders

Quartz Rods and Solid Cylinders

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Introduction

Quartz Rods and Solid Cylinders are fundamental stock materials fabricated from high-purity fused silica, valued across diverse industries for their exceptional thermal, mechanical, and optical properties. Unlike quartz tubing, these components are solid, offering superior structural rigidity, mechanical strength, and thermal mass. Yancheng Mingyang Quartz Products Co., Ltd. supplies quartz rods in standard diameters, custom lengths, and precision-ground cylindrical forms. These rods are essential structural elements in high-temperature apparatus, core materials for fiber drawing, stirring rods in corrosive chemical processes, and high-energy laser transmission components.

The inherent properties of fused silica—near-zero thermal expansion coefficient, high maximum use temperature (1200∘C continuous), and extreme chemical inertia—make quartz rods indispensable where standard glass or ceramics would fail. We offer two primary material types: Natural Fused Quartz Rods (cost-effective for general industrial use) and Synthetic Fused Silica Rods (ultra-high purity, mandatory for optics, UV transmission, and semiconductor applications). For applications requiring maximum UV transmission (e.g., 185 nm), synthetic rods are used as they possess the lowest concentration of metallic impurities and OH content. We provide precision centerless grinding services to meet tight diameter tolerances (±0.05 mm), ensuring perfect fit for sleeves, alignment guides, and mounting structures. Furthermore, our capability includes manufacturing large-diameter Solid Quartz Cylinders that serve as critical windows, optical blanks, or thermal masses in specialized scientific apparatus. For stirring applications, the rods are often fire-polished to ensure a smooth, contamination-free surface and fused with custom handles or paddle shapes.

By controlling the material purity and executing precise dimensional processing, we deliver quartz rods and cylinders that serve as robust, high-performance foundations for industrial, analytical, and optical systems.

Specification Parameters

ParameterDetails
Material GradeNatural Fused Quartz, Synthetic Fused Silica (JGS1 Grade, Low OH)
Diameter Range (OD)1 mm (Fine Stirring) to 200 mm (Solid Cylinders/Blanks)
Standard LengthsUp to 3000 mm (Continuous Draw)
Diameter ToleranceStandard ±0.1 mm; Precision Ground ±0.05 mm (or better)
PurityNatural: SiO2​≥99.99%; Synthetic: Trace metals <10 ppb
Optical TransmissionExcellent from DUV (185 nm) to Mid-IR (4.0 μm)
Custom EndsFire Polished, CNC Chamfered, Ball Ends, Tapered, Optical Flat Ends
Application FocusStructural Supports, Optical Waveguides, Core Materials, Stirring Rods

Key technical considerations for quartz rods include their Dimensional Tolerance and Material Purity. For applications in mechanical supports or automated equipment, a tight tolerance of ±0.05 mm achieved through centerless grinding is often necessary to ensure smooth movement and precise alignment. In high-purity chemical or semiconductor environments, the low Trace Element content, particularly of alkali metals, is critical, necessitating the use of Synthetic Fused Silica which has total metallic impurity levels below 10 ppb. This purity guarantees that the rod will not contaminate the process fluid or gas, even at high temperatures. The solid nature of the rod provides a significant thermal mass compared to thin-walled tubing, making it ideal for maintaining localized high-temperature zones (e.g., as a furnace element core). The high UV Transmission property makes these rods useful in light-coupling applications, such as UV optical waveguides or light guides for high-intensity lamps. We offer comprehensive QC checks including dimensional verification using laser micrometers and purity confirmation via ICP-MS analysis. Furthermore, complex custom shapes like tapered rods or rods with polished ball ends can be fabricated using CNC technology and specialized glass fusion.

Applications

  • High-Temperature Furnace Supports: Used as rollers, alignment pins, or structural supports within extreme-temperature diffusion and annealing furnaces.

  • Chemical Processing: High-purity stirring rods, plungers, and protective sheaths in chemical reactors handling aggressive acids (excluding HF) or high-temperature melts.

  • Fiber Optics and Photonics: Used as core mandrels for specialty optical fiber preform drawing, or as sacrificial cores in the manufacture of hollow structures.

  • Optical Waveguides and Light Guides: Transmitting high-intensity UV or visible light from the source (e.g., UV lamp or laser) to the target area (e.g., spectrometer or curing zone).

  • Insulators and Spacers: Providing electrical isolation and fixed spacing in high-voltage, high-frequency, or high-temperature electronic equipment.

  • Laser Systems: Components like beam dumps, alignment tools, and raw material blanks for high-power laser lenses and windows.

Quartz rods are the ideal choice for structural and chemical interfaces due to their unrivaled combination of properties. In chemical stirring, the rod's smoothness (fire-polished) prevents material hang-up, and its chemical resistance ensures zero contamination. For fiber drawing, the high-purity synthetic rod acts as a flawless core, directly impacting the final fiber's attenuation. In furnace applications, the high CTE mismatch between quartz and metals or ceramics is minimized due to quartz's near-zero CTE, preventing mechanical failures caused by differential expansion at high temperatures. We collaborate with $\text{OEM}$s to develop specialized rod assemblies, such as rods with precision-drilled longitudinal holes for gas delivery or temperature sensing. The solid form provides superior thermal and mechanical integrity, making it a reliable component in the most demanding industrial settings.

Advantages

  • Superior Mechanical Rigidity: Solid structure provides higher load-bearing capacity and less deflection than hollow tubing at high temperatures.

  • Exceptional Thermal Stability: Extremely low CTE and high softening point (∼1600∘C) allow use in highly dynamic, high-temperature environments without deformation.

  • High Purity and Inertia: Ultra-pure SiO2​ prevents process contamination and resists attack from almost all acids and corrosive gases.

  • Excellent UV Transmission: Synthetic fused silica rods offer high transparency for DUV light guiding, critical for scientific and industrial UV systems.

  • Precision Machinability: Can be precision ground, polished, and fused into complex custom shapes with tight dimensional tolerances.

  • Electrical Insulation: Provides reliable high-voltage electrical insulation even at elevated temperatures, making it safe for electrical support applications.

The core advantage is the blend of structural robustness and chemical and thermal purity. Our ability to supply both commodity-grade rods for general support and ultra-high-purity synthetic rods for precision optics/semiconductors ensures we can meet the requirements of any application.

Payment and Shipping

We accept standard payment methods (T/T, L/C). Pricing is volume-dependent, with competitive rates for standard diameters of bulk natural fused quartz rods. Custom grinding and CNC fabrication incur additional service charges.

Shipping Protocol for Quartz Rods: Focus on protecting long lengths from bending and fracture.

  • Secured Bundling: Rods are bundled securely to prevent movement and direct contact, often separated by foam or non-abrasive materials.

  • Rigid Tubing/Crating: Long rods are shipped in heavy-duty cardboard tubes or reinforced wooden crates that prevent bending stress or side impact damage.

  • Precision Component Isolation: Highly polished or custom-machined ends (e.g., optical flats) are protected with individual caps and segregated from bulk material.

Lead times for standard, cut-to-length natural quartz rods are 1−2 weeks. Precision ground rods or large-diameter synthetic cylinders require 4−6 weeks for fabrication and QC.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • Q: What is the main difference between using a quartz rod and a ceramic rod as a furnace support?

  • A: Quartz has a much lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than most ceramics (e.g., alumina), giving it superior resistance to thermal shock. While some ceramics can withstand higher absolute temperatures, quartz is far more stable when rapidly heated or cooled, and it offers superior chemical purity.

  • Q: If the rod is used as a UV light guide, does the OH content matter?

  • A: Yes, significantly. High OH content in quartz causes strong absorption bands, particularly in the deep UV region (below 240 nm) and the near-IR region (2.7 μm). For UV light guidance, Synthetic Fused Silica (low OH) is essential to maximize light transmission efficiency.

  • Q: Can quartz rods be drilled or have internal channels machined?

  • A: Yes. While challenging due to the hardness of quartz, we use specialized diamond core drills and CNC machining to create deep blind holes or precision-machined channels and tapers for custom applications like thermocouples sheaths or gas inlets.

  • Q: Why is fire-polishing applied to stirring rods?

  • A: Fire-polishing involves briefly heating the quartz surface to smooth out microscopic fissures and sharp edges. This prevents particle shedding, reduces contamination sites, and significantly lowers the chance of micro-cracks propagating, improving the rod's overall safety and chemical cleanliness.

From Made-in-China to
Global Smart Manufacturing

Yancheng Mingyang Quartz Products Co., Ltd. is a company specializing in the production of quartz and special glass products. Yancheng Mingyang Quartz Products Co., Ltd. is the production plant of Jinzhou Mingde Quartz Glass Co., Ltd. in Jiangsu, Since its establishment, the company has developed rapidly, introduced advanced technology and production equipment at home and abroad, and continuously improved and improved product quality. Relying on its own advantages, we have developed a variety of products suitable for the market and meet the needs of different customers, and solved many urgent production problems for our customers.

The company's products include quartz glass tubes, double-hole quartz glass tubes, quartz glass rods, quartz sheets, sapphire windows, calcium fluoride glass windows, infrared ultraviolet coatings, high-pressure resistant aluminosilicate glass window panels, quartz glass instruments, high borosilicate glass instruments, quartz crucibles, quartz gold-plated tubes, quartz heaters, quartz infrared heating tubes, far-infrared directional radiation heaters ultraviolet germicidal lamps and other special types of quartz glass products.

Yancheng Mingyang Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
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