Microwave assisted burn-out of organic compounds in ceramic systems

Ceramic materials containing organic compounds, as a result of a manufacturing process or coming from an unwanted pollution, can be efficiently beat-treated using microwaves rapid, volumetric and selective heating. Electromagnetic field modelling of microwave-matter interactions inside the microwave applicator helped choosing the best experimental conditions, leading to fast cycles and to the maximisation of energy transfer from the microwave source to the load. The debinding process of Al2O3, ZrO2 and TiO2 components and the complete recovery of Al2O3 millimetric spheres has been performed by microwave heating, allowing a drastic manufacturing time reduction. Microwaves, proved to be a powerful tool to speed up the hear treatment of the aforementioned ceramic systems containing significant percentages of organic compounds, which present a strong and preferential coupling to microwaves at low temperature.