Effect of heating mode on the densification and microstructural homogenization response of premixed bronze

This paper describes the effect of heating mode on the densification and microstructure homogenization during sintering of Cu–12Sn alloy. The bronze compacts were sintered at two temperatures (775 and 830 °C) in a radiatively heated (conventional) furnace and a microwave furnace. As compared with conventionally sintered bronze, the microwave-sintered compacts exhibit higher densification and relatively lower microstructural homogeneity. This has been correlated to the dependence of Sn diffusion in Cu to the heating mode.