Impact of microwave processing on porcelain microstructure

Abstract

[EN] Microstructural evolution on sintering of porcelain powder compacts using microwave radiation was compared with that in conventionally sintered samples. Using microwaves sintering temperature was reduced by similar to 75 degrees C and dwell time from 15 min to 5 min while retaining comparable physical properties i.e. apparent bulk density, water absorption to conventionally sintered porcelain. Porcelain powder absorbed microwave energy above 600 degrees C due to a rapid increase in its loss tangent. Mullite and glass were used as indicators of the microwave effect: mullite produced using microwaves had a nanofibre morphology with high aspect ratio (similar to 32 +/- 3:1) believed associated with a vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) formation mechanism not previously reported. Microwaves also produced mullite with different chemistry having similar to 63 mol% alumina content compared to similar to 60 mol% alumina in conventional sintered porcelain. This was likely due to accelerated Al+3 diffusion in mullite under microwave radiation. Liquid glass was observed to form at relatively low temperature (similar to 900-1000 degrees C) using microwaves when compared to conventional sintering which promoted the porcelains ability to absorb them.