Maximum Temperature for a Heating Mantle

General Purpose Mantles

• Heating mantles typically have a maximum temperature of 842 degrees Fahrenheit. This is regulated by a temperature control system that ensures the mantle heats all around the object placed in the mantle at the same rate without exceeding the maximum operating temperature.

High Temperature Heating Mantles

• There are higher temperature mantles on the market that are rated for up to 650 degrees. These mantles are more specialized than their general purpose counterparts and are therefore significantly more expensive. High temperature mantles are useful in distillation and "cracking" -- the process by which large molecules are split into smaller ones. These processes often require higher temperatures than a standard mantle can provide.

Features

• A heating mantle provides heat through a mass of fabric that fits around the item to be heated. This fabric contains the heating elements, such as a mesh of copper wires, that warm up the fabric to the required temperature. The fabric then radiates heat into the item from all sides, without excess heat to any particular area.

Benefits

• Heating mantles reduce the risk of shattered glass, while heating, because they do not heat one section of the glass only. This prevents heat from radiating to a cold area of the glassware, which can damage the glass and eventually shatter it. A heating mantle is also safer to handle because there is no open flame or hot section, as there is with a Bunsen burner or other traditional heating methods.