Microwave sintering of complex shapes: From multiphysics simulation to improvements of process scalability

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive approach combining multiphysics simulation and experimental techniques to improve microwave sintering of complex-shaped ceramics, enhancing process scalability and homogeneity.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method integrating 3D printing with microwave sintering and demonstrates the use of a dental microwave cavity for better densification of complex ceramics.

Findings

Microwave field distribution affects temperature and shape distortion.

Simulation correlates microwave field with densification and homogeneity.

Dental microwave cavity improves densification of complex shapes.

Abstract

The microwave sintering homogeneity of large and complex shape specimens is analyzed. A new approach enabling the fabrication of complex shapes ceramics via 3D printing and microwave sintering is presented. The use of a dental microwave cavity is shown to enable a substantial level of densification of complex shape components while restricting the grain growth. The homogeneity of the processed samples during microwave sintering is studied by an electromagnetic-thermal-mechanical simulation. The realistic densification behavior, that phenomenologically takes into account the microwave effect, is included in the modeling framework. The simulation indicates the sharp correlation between the microwave field distribution in the cavity, the temperature profile, and the specimen's shape distortion.