Quartz Combustion Boats — Application Deep Dive

Quartz Combustion Boats for TGA, LECO, and High-Temperature Sample Analysis

34 stock SKUs from 0.5 mL micro-boats to 150 mL bulk-fill, in single- and double-handle profiles. Continuous use to 1100 °C, low trace-metal background for elemental analysis, and the option to spec custom geometry on a 2-piece minimum. This guide covers six recurring applications and shows how to size, load, and budget boats as the consumables they are.

34 SKUs

In stock, no MOQ

0.5–150 mL

Capacity range

1100 °C

Continuous use

2 pcs

Custom MOQ

Who wrote this: the MachinedQuartz fabrication team. We make and ship combustion boats every week — single-handle for TGA labs, double-handle for muffle-furnace work, and custom geometries for OEM analyzers. This guide reflects what we hear from the buy side: how labs actually size and consume these things, where the failure modes are, and what we will not pretend to make. Not affiliated with LECO Corporation, ELTRA, or NETZSCH; product names are referenced for compatibility context only. Last reviewed May 2026.

1. Why fused quartz, not ceramic or metal

Combustion boats come in three material classes — fused quartz, ceramic (alumina or zirconia), and metal (platinum or nickel). The choice is not interchangeable; each has a temperature ceiling and a contamination profile.

Material	Max continuous	Trace metals released	Cost per boat	Best for
Fused quartz	1100 °C	< 30 ppm Al, < 5 ppm Na+K	$8–60	TGA, LECO, ash, semi diffusion, battery sintering
Alumina (Al2O3)	1700 °C	Al matrix — interferes with Al analysis	$25–150	Above 1100 °C; non-Al-sensitive samples
Zirconia (ZrO2)	1800 °C	Zr matrix; Y stabilizer	$80–400	Niche > 1700 °C work
Platinum	1700 °C	None measurable	$300–2000	Reference work; alloys with reducing atmospheres
Nickel	800 °C (oxidizing)	Ni matrix	$30–200	NaOH/KOH fusion; low-temp Ni-OK samples

Below 1100 °C, fused quartz wins on three fronts at once: cost (4× cheaper than alumina, 30× cheaper than platinum), contamination profile (you can analyse Al-bearing samples without matrix interference), and geometry options (boats can be specified in any size; alumina is limited to a small number of standard moulds).

The dividing line is 1100 °C. Below it, quartz is the right answer for every routine combustion or thermal-decomposition workflow. Above it, you need alumina or platinum — and you should treat those boats as the precision instruments they are, not as consumables.

2. Single-handle vs double-handle — when each wins

Our 34 SKUs split exactly down the middle: 17 single-handle and 17 double-handle, with matching sample-well dimensions on each side. The choice is purely operational.

Same well, different handling. Pick by furnace geometry, not by sample.

You’re loading…	Pick…	Why
Tube furnace with push-rod or autosampler	Single-handle	One handle locks into the rod end; sample faces inward. Standard for TGA, LECO autosamplers, semiconductor diffusion tubes.
Muffle furnace, top-loaded with tweezers	Double-handle	Two handles let you grip from either end and centre the boat by feel. Won’t roll on the bench between weighings.
Bench transfer between desiccator → balance → furnace	Double-handle	Stable on flat surfaces. The 50-mm handles act as legs.
Multi-position furnace tray (5–10 boats in a row)	Double-handle	Each end can rest on the tray rails. Single-handle would tip backwards.
Custom autosampler with mechanical clamp	Either	Specify in your quote. We can match clamp width on either profile.

If you don’t have a strong reason for one or the other, default to single-handle. It’s marginally cheaper to manufacture and the broader ecosystem (TGA, LECO, autosamplers) is built around it. Double-handle is the right answer for muffle-furnace and manual-transfer workflows specifically.

3. Sizing — match boat to sample mass

The right boat holds your sample at 30–60 percent of well capacity. Below 30 percent, surface area is too small relative to the boat’s thermal mass and you broaden any TGA decomposition step. Above 60 percent, the sample bridges the well and combustion gases can’t escape evenly.

Recommended boat for typical sample loadings. Bar height = expected sample mass range.

Sample mass	Recommended boat (single-handle)	Well dimensions	Stock price
1–5 mg (TGA microbalance)	MQM286	30 × 10 × 5 mm (0.5 mL)	$15
5–50 mg (LECO C/S, NMI)	MQM287	50 × 10 × 5 mm (1 mL)	$7.50
50–500 mg (ash, LOI)	MQM289 or MQM290	50 × 20–25 × 10–12 mm (5–8 mL)	$10–12.50
0.5–5 g (bulk pyrolysis)	MQM294 or MQM295	100 × 25–30 × 12–15 mm (15–20 mL)	$16–17.50
5–25 g (battery cathode batch)	MQM296 or MQM301	100–200 × 40 × 20 mm (40–80 mL)	$22.50–32.50
25 g+ (large catalyst, refractory)	MQM299	150 × 70 × 35 mm (150 mL)	$60

Some catalog volumes don’t match the geometry literally. The size dimension (length × width × depth in mm) is the authoritative spec — it’s what the boat physically is. The mL value is the nominal usable capacity at 60 percent fill, not the geometric volume of the well. If your TGA software wants a volume, calculate from L × W × D × 0.6 and you’ll be within 5 percent of what you can practically load.

4. Application 1 — Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)

TGA hangs a sample boat from a microbalance hook inside a furnace and records mass continuously as temperature ramps. Common ramps: 10 °C/min from ambient to 1000 °C, with N2 then air switching at the decomposition step. The boat must add minimal thermal mass, withstand the temperature ramp, and contribute zero mass change of its own.

TGA workflow. Boat tare is recorded once; sample mass loss is the analytical signal.

What to spec for TGA

Boat: single-handle, smallest size that holds your sample. MQM286 (0.5 mL) for 1–5 mg, MQM287 (1 mL) for 10–50 mg.
Material grade: Type 2 fused quartz is the default. For sub-ppm trace-metal work specify Type 3 (synthetic, custom order). For continuous use above 1100 °C specify Type 1 (low-OH, custom order).
Hangdown: our boats accept standard 0.3-mm Pt or quartz hangdown wire through the handle. Specify if you need a hole-drilled handle versus a tweezer notch.
Lifetime: 50–100 cycles for 25–800 °C ramps in clean atmosphere. Replace when the sample well frosts visibly or when consecutive blank runs show non-flat baselines.

Boat-induced baseline drift is real. A new boat outgases trace water and adsorbed organics in the first 2–3 cycles. Either pre-condition new boats with two empty 1000 °C cycles before first sample run, or budget the first 5 mg of mass loss as boat conditioning artefact.

5. Application 2 — LECO C/S/N elemental analyzers

LECO instruments (CS844, SC832, ONH836 and predecessors) burn or melt the sample in pure oxygen and quantify CO2 or SO2 by IR detection. The boat sits in a ceramic combustion crucible holder, which lives inside the induction or resistance furnace. Boat geometry is dictated by the analyser’s autosampler tray, but most LECO models accept the standard 50 × 10 × 5 mm format (our MQM287 / MQM304).

What to spec for LECO

Boat geometry: 50 × 10 × 5 mm (1 mL) is the most common LECO-compatible format. We ship MQM287 single-handle and MQM304 double-handle in this footprint.
Quantity: these are single-use consumables in elemental analysis. Budget 50–100 boats per year for a single-shift CS bench.
Type 2 grade is correct here. Sub-ppm trace metals don’t matter — you’re measuring carbon, sulphur, or nitrogen, not metals.
Drop-in compatibility: we make geometric equivalents to LECO 528-018, 528-203 and 528-204 boats. Send us the LECO part number and we’ll confirm dimensional match before you order. We are not affiliated with LECO Corporation; OEM-spec boats from LECO carry their own QC documentation that we do not duplicate.

If your protocol cites a specific LECO part number for QC compliance, do not substitute without your QA group’s sign-off. Our geometric equivalents work in the analyser, but the lot-traceability documentation is different. For routine production runs the savings are significant; for regulated method validation, talk to your QA first.

6. Application 3 — Tube furnace pyrolysis and gasification

Open tube furnace work — coal pyrolysis, biomass gasification, catalyst calcination, hydrogen-reduction studies — uses a longer boat (100–200 mm) pushed into the hot zone with a quartz or stainless push-rod, with carrier gas flowing along the tube axis.

Boat positioning relative to hot zone. Sample must sit fully inside the isothermal region.

Sizing for tube-furnace work

Match boat length to ≤ 80 percent of hot-zone length. A 320-mm hot zone takes a 200-mm boat (MQM300 or MQM301 single-handle); a 200-mm hot zone takes a 100-mm boat (MQM292–MQM296).
Push-rod compatible handle. Single-handle is standard. The handle should be 50 mm minimum so the rod end clears the cold end of the tube.
Wide profile for shallow bed. For gas-solid reactions (catalyst beds, char gasification), pick the widest boat that fits — gas/sample contact area scales with the projected area, not depth. MQM296 (100 × 40 × 20 mm) and MQM297 (100 × 45 × 22 mm) are the workhorses.
For reducing atmospheres above 1100 °C, request Type 1 quartz on the quote — the lower OH content delays devitrification under H2 or H2/N2 mixtures.

Need a boat that’s not in the catalogue?

Custom dimensions ship in 2–4 weeks. 2-piece MOQ. Send a sketch with length × width × depth in mm and we’ll quote within 24 hours.

Request a quote →

7. Application 4 — Semiconductor diffusion and oxidation

Semiconductor process tubes — diffusion, oxidation, LPCVD — use long, narrow boats (often called “process boats” or “wafer carriers”) to hold wafers vertically inside a quartz tube. Our combustion-boat catalogue is not the right fit for full wafer carriers (those have grooves and are sized to your tube ID); but the catalogue boats are widely used as auxiliary sample holders in those processes — for diffusion-source wafers, getter wafers, and process-monitor pieces.

What MQ stocks for semi work

Diffusion-source carriers: our 100 × 25–40 mm single-handle boats hold dopant source wafers (BN, P glass) facing the active wafer carrier. MQM294, MQM296.
Process monitor strips: MQM286 (30 × 10 × 5 mm) holds a 10 × 10 mm monitor wafer that travels with each batch and is pulled for post-process measurement.
Custom slotted boats: for batch wafer holding (4-, 6-, 8-inch), we make these as a custom job. Send tube ID and wafer count; 4–6 week lead time.

What we do not stock as standard: wafer cassettes, slotted process boats with engineered groove pitch, fluoroware-style cassettes, or BN diffusion source wafers themselves. We make the quartz holders; we do not sell the dopant chemistry.

8. Application 5 — Lithium battery cathode sintering and calcination

Cathode active material (NMC, LFP, LCO) requires a calcination step in air or O2 at 700–950 °C to set the layered oxide structure. Bench-scale and small-pilot batches sit in fused quartz boats inside a tube or chamber furnace; production scale moves to alumina or cordierite saggers.

What to spec for battery R&D

For 5–25 g batches (R&D bench): MQM296 (100 × 40 × 20 mm, 40 mL) is the most common pick. Wide-shallow geometry maximizes O2 contact across the powder bed.
For 50–200 g batches (small pilot): MQM301 (200 × 40 × 20 mm, 80 mL) or MQM319 double-handle for muffle work.
For full pilot batches (> 200 g), talk to us about custom widths — the largest stock is 150 × 70 × 35 mm. Above this, we machine to spec on a 2-piece MOQ.
Material grade: Type 2 quartz is fine for routine NMC/LFP work. Above 950 °C, lithium-rich melts can attack quartz over many cycles; if your sintering temperature is at the upper edge, treat the boats as 20–50 cycle consumables and budget accordingly.

Quartz vs alumina for battery work. Quartz is cheaper, easier to clean, and contributes no Al matrix to your XRD pattern — critical when you’re tracking Al-doped NMC structure. Alumina lasts longer at 950 °C+ but adds a strong Al peak you must subtract. Choose quartz for analytical R&D; switch to alumina only when the thermal cycling cost exceeds the matrix-correction time.

9. Application 6 — Ash content, LOI, food and polymer

Ash content (ASTM D482, D5630, ISO 247), loss-on-ignition (LOI), food proximate analysis, and polymer filler content all share the same protocol: weigh sample in a tared boat, ignite at 500–800 °C until constant mass, weigh residue. The boat must hold a 1–10 g sample, retain residue without spillage, and survive 200+ cycles.

Right boat for ash work

Standard ash (1–5 g): MQM295 (100 × 30 × 15 mm, 20 mL) or MQM289 (50 × 20 × 10 mm, 5 mL) for smaller samples. Both single-handle.
Bulk LOI (5–25 g, polymer or food): MQM296 (100 × 40 × 20 mm, 40 mL) — wide enough that the residue cake doesn’t crack and shed.
For ASTM-method runs requiring “porcelain crucible” wording in the protocol, check whether the method allows a quartz substitute. ASTM D482 and ISO 247 both list “porcelain or fused silica” as acceptable; food-grade methods (AOAC 942.05) permit silica.

Quartz cleans up better than ceramic for ash work. Burnt-in residue on alumina or porcelain often requires acid leaching to remove between samples. On quartz, a 5-minute soak in concentrated HCl or aqua regia clears residue completely without etching the boat — meaning faster turn-around and lower cross-contamination between sample types.

10. Boat lifetime and consumable budget

Combustion boats are consumables. They have a finite cycle life that depends on operating temperature, atmosphere, and sample chemistry. Plan and budget for replacement.

Boat cycle life vs operating temperature. Type 2 quartz, 30-min hold per cycle, ambient cool-down.

Failure modes and what they signal

Surface frosting (white, opaque haze): devitrification — the silica surface has crystallised to cristobalite. Vessel still holds shape but trace contaminants from previous samples are now baked into the surface. Replace.
Sample bonding (residue welded to well floor): happened with reactive samples or above the boat’s softening point. Boat is destroyed; sample is partially destroyed. Lower temperature or use a smaller load.
Cracking on cool-down: thermal-shock failure. Either ramp slower (≤ 10 °C/min cool-down for boats > 100 mm length) or pull the boat to a 200 °C heat-soak rest before bench cool.
Slow weight gain on blank cycle: boat is gettering moisture or organics from previous samples. Either pre-condition or replace.

Practical budget rules

Workflow	Cycles/boat	Boats/year (1-shift)	Budget impact
TGA, 25–800 °C, clean atmosphere	50–100	30–60	$300–900
LECO CS, single-use convention	1	500–2000	$3,500–15,000
Tube-furnace pyrolysis, 800–1100 °C	20–40	50–100	$800–2,500
Battery sintering, 900–950 °C, oxidising	30–60	40–80	$1,200–3,000
Ash / LOI, 500–800 °C, oxidising	200+	10–20	$200–500

For LECO especially, the convention is single-use because the boat carries combustion residue that would skew the next sample’s blank. At ~$8/boat, single-use is cheaper than the labour to clean and re-validate.

11. Cleaning, re-use, and contamination

Whether to re-use depends on what you ran in the previous cycle. The cleaning protocol is the same in either case.

Standard cleaning protocol (between cycles, same sample type)

Allow boat to cool to ambient.
Tip residue into waste container; brush gently if needed.
Soak 10–30 min in 1:1 HCl or aqua regia (room temperature). Quartz tolerates both indefinitely.
Rinse three times with deionised water.
Rinse once with isopropanol or acetone.
Dry at 110 °C for 30 min, store in covered desiccator.

Deep cleaning (between sample types, or after suspected contamination)

Steps 1–4 above.
Soak 1 h in fresh aqua regia, room temperature.
Rinse five times with deionised water.
Bake at 1000 °C in air for 30 min (this volatilises any remaining organic and oxidises any remaining metal).
Cool slowly, store in covered desiccator.

When NOT to re-use

After radioactive samples — boat is contaminated.
After Pb, Hg, Cd, As samples in trace-metal work — even cleaning leaves background.
After samples that bonded to or reacted with the well surface.
For LECO, IC-MS, or any single-blank-per-batch protocol — convention is single-use.
If the boat shows surface frosting (devitrified). It’s now porous and absorbs whatever you put in it.

12. Custom geometry and options

About 30 percent of our boat orders include at least one custom dimension. The shop is built for short-run custom — 2 pieces is the minimum, no tooling fee on standard variations.

Routine customisations (no tooling charge, 2-week lead time)

Length, width, depth — any combination from 20 mm to 250 mm long
Wall thickness — heavier wall for thermal cycling, thinner for fast TGA response
Handle length, shape, and offset (vertical vs horizontal handle for autosampler clamp)
Hole-drilled handle for hangdown wire
Tweezer notch on handle (vs plain rectangle)
Chamfered or rounded ends (some autosamplers reject sharp corners)
Multiple wells in one boat (2- or 3-position for parallel sample comparison)

Higher-touch customisations (4–6 week lead time)

Type 1 (low-OH) quartz — for > 1100 °C continuous-use applications
Type 3 (synthetic) quartz — for sub-ppm trace-metal sample preparation
Slotted wafer carriers (4-, 6-, 8-inch wafer holding)
Frosted or sandblasted exterior for sample-ID labelling
Weld-in thermocouple sheath
Drilled gas-purge hole through the handle

What we do NOT manufacture

Alumina, zirconia, or ceramic boats (different supply chain — we are a fused-silica shop)
Platinum boats
BN, SiC, or graphite combustion boats
LECO branded OEM boats with their lot certification (we make geometric equivalents only)
Boats with built-in calibration mass markings

13. Full 34-SKU catalog

Stock SKUs as of May 2026. Prices in USD, FOB Texas, FedEx International Priority. 2-piece minimum on stock, no MOQ on quantities of 1+ for direct buyers via the catalogue page.

In stock

34 SKU stock inventory

Single-handle and double-handle profiles, 0.5 mL through 150 mL. Ships from Texas warehouse within 1–2 business days for stock orders.

Browse all 34 SKU →

Custom

Custom geometry — 2-piece MOQ

Multi-well boats, slotted wafer carriers, hole-drilled handles, custom dimensions. Send a sketch with L×W×D in mm. 2-week typical lead time.

Request custom →

SKU	Handle	Volume	Size (L×W×D)	Price USD
MQM286	Single	0.5 mL	30×10×5 mm	$15.00
MQM287	Single	1 mL	50×10×5 mm	$7.50
MQM288	Single	3 mL	50×15×7.5 mm	$9.00
MQM289	Single	5 mL	50×20×10 mm	$10.00
MQM290	Single	8 mL	50×25×12 mm	$12.50
MQM291	Single	10 mL	50×30×15 mm	$15.00
MQM292	Single	4 mL	100×15×7 mm	$15.00
MQM293	Single	12 mL	100×20×10 mm	$16.00
MQM294	Single	15 mL	100×25×12 mm	$16.50
MQM295	Single	20 mL	100×30×15 mm	$17.50
MQM296	Single	40 mL	100×40×20 mm	$22.50
MQM297	Single	45 mL	100×45×22 mm	$25.00
MQM298	Single	55 mL	100×50×25 mm	$27.50
MQM299	Single	150 mL	150×70×35 mm	$60.00
MQM300	Single	40 mL	200×25×12 mm	$25.00
MQM301	Single	80 mL	200×40×20 mm	$32.50
MQM302	Single	1.5 mL	22×22×7 mm	$30.00
MQM303	Double	0.5 mL	30×10×5 mm	$15.00
MQM304	Double	1 mL	50×10×5 mm	$7.50
MQM305	Double	~5 mL	50×15×7.5 mm	$9.00
MQM306	Double	5 mL	50×20×10 mm	$10.00
MQM307	Double	8 mL	50×25×12 mm	$12.50
MQM308	Double	10 mL	50×30×15 mm	$15.00
MQM309	Double	3 mL	100×10×5 mm	$12.50
MQM310	Double	4 mL	100×15×7 mm	$15.00
MQM311	Double	12 mL	100×20×10 mm	$16.00
MQM312	Double	15 mL	100×25×12 mm	$16.50
MQM313	Double	20 mL	100×30×15 mm	$17.50
MQM314	Double	40 mL	100×40×20 mm	$22.50
MQM315	Double	45 mL	100×45×22 mm	$25.00
MQM316	Double	55 mL	100×50×25 mm	$27.50
MQM317	Double	150 mL	150×70×35 mm	$60.00
MQM318	Double	40 mL	200×25×12 mm	$25.00
MQM319	Double	80 mL	200×40×20 mm	$32.50

Note: a small number of SKUs (notably MQM305) show a printed volume in the catalogue that doesn’t match the geometric calculation — the dimension is the authoritative spec. Use L × W × D × 0.6 to estimate practical loading capacity.

14. FAQ

How do I size a combustion boat to my sample?

Use the 30–60 percent rule: pick the smallest stock boat where your sample fills 30–60 percent of the well capacity. Below 30 percent, the sample’s small surface area relative to boat thermal mass broadens TGA decomposition steps. Above 60 percent, the sample can bridge the well and trap combustion gases. For a 50 mg TGA sample, MQM287 (1 mL well) gives 5 percent fill — switch to MQM286 (0.5 mL) for 10 percent. For 1 g of polymer ash, MQM294 (15 mL) gives 7 percent fill — fine for ashing because surface-area constraints are looser than for TGA.

Single-handle or double-handle — which one do I order?

Single-handle for tube-furnace work with push-rod loading, autosampler trays, and TGA — about 80 percent of analytical workflows. Double-handle for muffle furnaces with manual tweezer loading, bench-transfer between balance and furnace, and multi-position furnace trays where each end rests on a rail. The well capacity is identical between the two profiles; the choice is purely operational.

Are these boats compatible with LECO instruments?

Yes — our 50 × 10 × 5 mm boats (MQM287 single-handle, MQM304 double-handle) are geometric equivalents to common LECO autosampler boats including the 528-018, 528-203, and 528-204 footprints. They drop into the standard LECO CS, SC and ONH analyser autosamplers. We are not affiliated with LECO Corporation; for regulated method validation runs that cite a specific LECO part number for QA traceability, get sign-off from your QA group before substituting. For routine production runs the savings are typically 60–80 percent versus LECO-branded boats.

How many cycles does a quartz combustion boat last?

Highly dependent on temperature: 500+ cycles at 800 °C, 200 cycles at 900 °C, 100 cycles at 1000 °C, 50 cycles at 1100 °C, 20 cycles at 1150 °C, 10 cycles at 1200 °C. Failure mode is devitrification — surface frosting from cristobalite formation. Above 1100 °C continuous use, treat boats as consumables and budget for them. For LECO and IC-MS, single-use is standard regardless of temperature because of cross-sample contamination risk.

What’s the maximum continuous use temperature?

1100 °C continuous, with short excursions tolerated to 1200 °C. Above 1100 °C, surface devitrification (cristobalite formation) accelerates and the well surface frosts visibly. The boat still holds shape, but cycle-to-cycle reproducibility degrades. For continuous use at 1100–1200 °C, request Type 1 (low-OH) quartz on the quote — the lower water content delays devitrification by 2–3×.

Can I use the same boat for different sample types?

Yes for routine analytical work where blanks aren’t critical. No for trace-metal analysis (ICP-MS), elemental analysis with sub-ppm sensitivity, or any cross-sample contamination concern (Pb, Hg, Cd, As). Standard cleaning is acid soak (HCl or aqua regia) plus DI rinse. For deep cleaning, follow with a 1000 °C bake. Devitrified boats (visibly frosted surface) are porous and should not be re-used regardless of cleaning.

Do you make boats for lithium battery cathode sintering?

Yes — our 100 × 40 × 20 mm (MQM296) and 200 × 40 × 20 mm (MQM301) boats are common picks for 5–25 g and 50–200 g batches respectively. Type 2 quartz is fine for routine NMC, LFP, LCO sintering at 700–950 °C. Above 950 °C with high-Li-content melts, treat as 20–50 cycle consumables. For full pilot batches above 200 g, send us your batch size and we’ll quote a custom geometry on a 2-piece MOQ.

Can you make slotted wafer carriers for semiconductor work?

Yes, as a custom job. 4-, 6-, and 8-inch wafer carriers with engineered groove pitch are available with 4–6 week lead time and a 2-piece MOQ. We need your tube ID, wafer count, and groove pitch spec. We do not stock standard wafer cassettes — those are commodity items from semi-equipment vendors. We make the precision quartz fixtures.

What grade of fused quartz are these — Type 1, 2, or 3?

Default is Type 2 (flame-fused natural crystal, 150–400 ppm OH, 20–30 ppm Al, 1–4 ppm Na+K). This is the right answer for 95 percent of combustion-boat applications. Specify Type 1 (electric-fused, low-OH, < 5 ppm OH) for continuous use above 1100 °C — the lower water content delays devitrification under reducing atmospheres. Specify Type 3 (synthetic CVD, < 1 ppm total trace metals) when your sample sees sub-ppm trace-metal analysis after the combustion step. Type 1 and Type 3 are custom orders with 4-week lead time.

What do you NOT make in combustion boats?

We don’t manufacture or supply: alumina, zirconia, or porcelain boats (different supply chain — we’re a fused-silica shop); platinum, gold, or nickel boats; boron-nitride, silicon-carbide, or graphite boats; LECO-branded OEM boats with their lot certification (we make dimensional equivalents only); boats with built-in calibration mass markings; or wafer cassettes (we make the precision fixtures, not the cassettes themselves). If you need any of these, we’ll point you at a vendor who specialises.

Related guides

15. Notes and honest limits

What this guide does not claim

• LECO-branded substitution. Our boats are dimensional equivalents to common LECO autosampler footprints. They drop in and work, but they do not carry LECO’s lot-traceability documentation. For regulated method validation, get QA sign-off before substituting.

• Indefinite life above 1100 °C. Devitrification accelerates and visibly frosts the surface within 10–50 cycles at 1150–1200 °C. Plan for replacement.

• Zero contamination. Type 2 fused quartz contains 20–30 ppm Al and 1–4 ppm Na+K. For sub-ppm trace-metal analysis, request Type 3 (synthetic) on the quote.

• HF resistance. Quartz dissolves in HF at any concentration. If your protocol uses HF as a sample dissolution step before combustion, do the HF in a PFA vessel and transfer to the boat for the combustion step — do not run HF through the boat.

• Volume specifications. A small number of catalogue SKUs (notably MQM305 marked 18 mL on a 5.6 mL geometry) carry a printed volume that does not match L × W × D. The dimension is the authoritative spec. Use L × W × D × 0.6 for practical loading.

LECO is a registered trademark of LECO Corporation. ELTRA is a registered trademark of ELTRA GmbH. NETZSCH is a registered trademark of NETZSCH-Gerätebau GmbH. ASTM standards are referenced for compatibility context only; consult the latest published standard for current procedure. References to ASTM Type 1 / 2 / 3 fused silica grades follow the convention in ASTM C162 and the Corning Glass Works classification.

Last reviewed May 2026 by the MachinedQuartz technical team. Pricing and stock availability change over time — confirm current SKU availability and pricing on the catalogue page or email sales@machinedquartz.com before specifying a final BOM.

Ready to spec your combustion boats?

34 stock SKUs from 0.5 mL micro-boats to 150 mL bulk. Custom dimensions ship in 2–4 weeks. 2-piece MOQ on custom orders, no tooling fee on standard variations.

Browse all 34 SKU →Request a custom quote →