Pure zirconium crucibles are employed to oxidize samples with Sodium peroxide( (Na2O2) , which then become soluble in diluted acid. This method allows the complete dissolution of most refractory minerals and prepares the samples for ulterior analysis.
Zirconium crucibles have extremelly high corrosion resistance, high mechanical strengh, low thermal conductivity (21.3 W/m·K) and a high melting point (1852ºC) which confer them a great resitance against Sodium Peroxyde (a very strong basic oxidizing flux).
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