Microwave processing of glass

Microwaves at the ISM frequency of 2.45 GHz have been applied to heat the molten salt bath used for ion exchange. A commercial soda-lime silicate has been used in order to investigate the processing time and the exchange depth resulting from the microwave assisted treatment, compared to the conventional one. Provided the molten salt, having an high electrical conductivity, does not shield the glass sample from microwave exposure, there is evidence of an increased ion mobility under microwave irradiation. In particular, this is confirmed by the higher calculated diffusion coefficient and by the increased potassium concentration in the exchanged layers.