Synthesis of Inorganic Solids Using Microwaves

TLDR

Microwave-assisted synthesis of inorganic materials is gaining importance because it is faster, cleaner, and more economical than conventional methods, enabling production of diverse compounds such as carbides, nitrides, oxides, silicides, zeolites, and apatite, and relies on dielectric heating and resonance absorption mechanisms. This review summarizes recent reports on microwave synthesis of inorganic materials. The review discusses observations on microwave interaction with materials. Microwave synthesis has produced a range of materials that are industrially and technologically important.

Abstract

Use of microwaves in the synthesis of materials is gaining importance. Microwave-assisted synthesis is generally much faster, cleaner, and more economical than the conventional methods. A variety of materials such as carbides, nitrides, complex oxides, silicides, zeolites, apatite, etc. have been synthesized using microwaves. Many of these are of industrial and technological importance. An understanding of the microwave interaction with materials has been based on concepts of dielectric heating and of the resonance absorption due to rotational excitation. This review presents a summary of recent reports of microwave synthesis of inorganic materials. Various observations regarding microwave interaction with materials are also briefly discussed.