The microwave ponderomotive effect on ceramic sintering

The evolution of pore structure during microwave sintering of ceramics is investigated based on a model of the non-thermal ponderomotive action of a microwave field in ionic crystalline solids. By means of numerical simulation it is demonstrated that the microwave field facilitates the collapse of faceted pores in the ceramics. Quantitative estimates suggest that the microwave ponderomotive effect can be significant during sintering.