Modeling of microwave heating of particulate metals

Recent studies have shown that metal powder compacts can be heated to high temperatures using microwaves. While microwave beating of ceramics is well understood and modeled, there is still uncertainty about the exact mechanism and mode of microwave heating of particulate metals. The current study describes an approach for modeling the microwave heating of metal powder compacts using an electromagnetic-thermal model. The model predicts the variation in temperature with time during sintering. The effect of powder size, emissivity, and susceptor heating on the heating rate has also been assessed. These predictions have been validated by the experimental observations of the thermal profiles of Sn-, Cu-, and W-alloy compacts, using a 2.45 GHz multimode microwave furnace.