(sanman) wrote in message . com...
Here's something I just read about:

http://www.e4engineering.com/story.a...d-a7bd9b6a4258


So I'm wondering if this microwave heating of metals can be used for
making of glassy metals. Glassy metals are based on rapid cooling of
molten metal, causing the glassy molecular structure. From what I've
read so far, this has entailed formulating metal alloys with very low
melt points. But why can't a glassy metal be made with a very high
melt-point, by microwaving an alloy formulation to be molten at very
high temp, and quickly chilling it below a melt-point that would
itself also be quite high?

This microwave heating of metals sounds like an efficient and
controllable way to get metals to very high temperatures very quickly.
It also seems like you could cut off that microwave heating very
quickly, to facilitate the quick-chilling necessary for glassy metal
formation.

Comments?

Microwaves are generally reflected off of metals. I have found google
links for microwave sintering of powdered metals. I don't truely
understand how microwaves sinter powedered metals. I suspect that it
would be a very dangerous thing to attempt without an inert
atmosphere.

Now for non-metals, microwaves can facilitate ultra rapid volumetric
heating. These guys have some interesting (if not sparse) info about
using a gyrotron source for ceramic sintering
http://www.gyrotrontech.com/

If you want rapid heating of metals you need an inductance heater.
Check this out http://ameritherm.com/videoindex.html

Inductance heaters can utilize a range of operating frequencys. Lower
frequencys seem to heat from the inside out, higher frequencys seem to
heat the outer surface.

Maybe you could couple a non-conductive coolant to the metal part as
it is heated by a low frequency inductance heater.. Just a thought