Microwave sintering of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper and stainless steel powders

Metal powder compacts were sintered using single mode microwave radiation. The results of microwave sintering were compared with those of conventional sintering. Microwave sintering promoted greater shrinkage than conventional sintering. The sintering behavior of Fe compacts around the A(3) transformation temperature was significantly affected by microwave radiation. (c) 2005 Acta Materialia, Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.