Chapter 2 Materials used in vacuum system

Contents
1. Gas Load in the vacuum system
2. Material Property Requirements
3. Common used materials
4. Materials can not be used in vacuum
system

Gas load in a vacuum system

1. High pressure/rough vacuum: volume gas
2. Low pressure: outgassing, evaporation,
permeation, backstreaming, leak;

Outgassing Rate in Torr Liters per Square Cm.

Material

Condition

1 Hour

10 Hours

100 Hours

Aluminum

Cleaned

8X10e-09

Aluminum

Anodized

1X10e-07

Aluminum

Anodized

1X10e-07

Aluminum

degassed

1.7X10e-07

2.7X10e-08

4.6X10e-09

Aluminum

none

1.3X10e-06

Aluminum 6061-T6

none

2.5X10e-09

4.5X10e-09

Bake 13.5 hr.

_
@ 200 deg. C

3.7X10e-10

1.4X10e-08

Bake 15 hr. @
_
300 deg. C

1.6X10e-10

Aluminum 6061-T6 @
hot
200 deg. C
Aluminum 6061-T6

Aluminum 6061-T6 @
hot
300 deg. C
Aluminum 6061-T6

Outgassing Rate in Torr Liters per Square Cm.

Material

Condition

1 Hour

10 Hours

100 Hours

Neoprene

3X10e-05

1.5X10e-05

PVC

8X10e-07

1.3X10e-07

Mylar

outgassed

2X10e-07

Neoprene

As received 2X10e-04

Silicone rubber As received 3X10e-05

Teflon

As received 5X10e-06

PVC

As received 9X10e-07

Textolite

As received 7X10e-06

Mylar

As received 3X10e-06

Zirconium

1.3X10e-06

Butyl rubber

1.5X10e-06

Outgassing Rate in Torr Liters per Square Cm.

Material

Condition 1 Hour

10 Hours

100 Hours

Kel F

4X10e-08

Plexiglass

Outgassed 1X10e-06

Polyethylene _

2.6X10e-07

Nylon

1.2X10e-05

Porcelain

Glazed

6.5X10e-07

Steatite

9eX10e-08

Epon 828

degassed

6.7X10e-07

5.9X10e-08

9.4X10e-09

Teflon

degassed

4.6eX10e-07

2.1X10e-07

9X10e-09

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5. Backstreaming
The flow of gas and vapour in a vacuum system is away
from the chamber, through the pump, and out to the
atmosphere.
In molecular flow where molecules behave as individuals
with some of them going against the main flow direction.
Undesirable things downstream of the chamber (like pump
oil)

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Material Property Requirements

1.

Mechanical Properties
Be capable of being machined and fabricated.
Adequate strength at maximum and minimum temperature
Retain it's elastic,plastic,and/or fluid properties over the
expected temperature range.

2.

Thermal Properties
Vapor pressure.
Thermal expansion of adjacent materials

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3.

Gas Loading
Materials must not be porous.
Materials must be free of cracks and crevices.
Surface and bulk desorption rates.

4. How to choose a material for vacuum system

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Commonly Used Materials

Metals for the Vacuum Envelope

1. Austenitic Stainless Steel

Used in high and ultra-high vacuum systems,
Satisfactory argon-arc welding. U.S. 321 , 347, and 304
Low magnetic permeability.
Economical.
Acceptable outgassing rates
Can be fabricated easily.
Disadvantage
Components may require 'truing up' due to distortion
caused by welding operations.
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2. Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys

Cheap
Easy to machine
Low outgassing rate as long as the alloy does not have a
high zinc content.
Disadvantages
Low strength at high temperatures
High distortion when welding.
Alloys with copper content also present welding problems.
Should never be anodized due to serious outgassing
problems.
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3.Mild Steel
May be used down to about 10-3 mbar or lower if plated.
High permeability to hydrogen
Possible rusting make this material unsuitable for lower
pressure vacuum envelopes.

4.Oxygen Free High Conductivity (OFHC)Copper

easily machined
good corrosion resistance
not generally used for vacuum envelopes that require baking
possible heavy oxidation,scaling in high temperature
difficulty of brazing in a hydrogen atmosphere.
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5.Brass
good corrosion resistance
used in vacuum are usually Nickel plated to reduce
outgassing due to the Zinc content in Brass.
6.Glass to Metal & Glass to Ceramic Seals
Inconel or Kovar .
Difficult to machine
very expensive
best bought as parts of components from vacuum
equipment suppliers.
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Metals Used in Demountable Seals

1.Copper Rings are commonly used for high and ultra-high
vacuum applications. Flanges use a copper ring compressed
between two knife edges, are bakeable to 450 Degrees C, and
are widely used.
2.Aluminum Wire Rings are very cheap and bakeable to 200
Degrees C..
3.Indium Wire can be used between flat flanges. It is very soft
and continues to flow after initial tightening.
4.Gold wire is often used for Ultra-High Vacuum seals between
flat surfaces,and can be baked to 450 Degrees C.. Gold is
somewhat easier to recycle than Indium,offsetting it's high
initial cost.

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Plastics
General properties
high gas permeability
high desorption rates
kept to a minimum use in vacuum
high insulating properties
Elasticity
price.

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1. PTFE ()
self-lubricating properties
a relatively low outgassing rate,
good electrical insulator,
can be used at higher temperatures than other plastics.
High permeability
2. Nylon()
self lubricating properties
a high outgassing rate
a high adsorption rate for water.
3. Acrylics ()
have the same undesirable vacuum properties as nylon.

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4. Polycarbonates()and Polystyrene ()
moderate outgassing rates and water adsorption
good electrical insulators.
5. PVC ( )
high outgassing rate
application for rough vacuum lines
temporary connections such as leak detectors
6. Polyethylene ()
may be usable if well outgassed
7 Polyimide()
ultra-high vacuum compatible
easily machined,
excellent insulator
very expensive.
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8. Glass Epoxy
difficult to machine
a high initial outgassing rate.
long initial outgassing time

9.Fluoroplastics (
fairly tolerable outgassing rate
not subject to cold flow
No very expensive.

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Elastomers
Nitrile Rubber is widely used in demountable seals,
i.e. "O" rings.
bakeable to 200 Degree
suitable at lower pressures.

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Ceramics
Fully vitrified electrical porcelain and vitrified alumina
excellent insulator
low outgassing rate
low gas permeability,
can be used to 1500 Degrees C.
some machinable ceramics available.
brittle and must be handled with care.

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Glass
BorosilicateGlass , i.e.. Pyrex , is often
used for small systems and viewing windows.
easy to fabricate into components,
high corrosion resistance.

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Pumping Fluids
High Quality, Low Vapour Pressure Mineral Oils;
Mineral Oils prepared by molecular distillation from mineral stock
are used down to 10-7 mbar;
Silicon Fluids produce ultimate pressures down to 10-9 mbar. and are
stable when hot;
Polyphenyl Ethers are thermally stable and have
exceptionally low vapor pressures,and are commonly used in ultrahigh vacuum and clean systems. Backstreaming rates are low and
chemical stability is good;

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Materials That Should Not Be Used In Vacuum

1 PVC insulated wire generally has a high outgassing rate, and
should be replaced with teflon insulated wire.
2 Paint is a common source of outgassing and virtual leaks.
3 Transformer tape outgasses like mad, can be replaced with
ordinary (plumbers) teflon tape.

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