Formation of Ca3SiO5 prepared by electric and microwave burning

A new method of sintering Ca3SiO5 by the combination of conventional and microwave heating methods was studied. The influence of transitional metal oxides such as Fe2O3, Cr2O3, MnO2, and V2O5 used as the additive of microwave absorption on the microwave-promoted burning of Ca3SiO5 was investigated. The experimental results indicate that the new burning technique is capable of promoting the sintering of Ca3SiO5. At 1200-1300°C in an electric furnace, Ca3SiO5 can be obtained only when the sample is heated in a microwave for 110-240 s, and the free lime content is below 40wt%. Based on the experiments, Fe2O3, Cr2O3, MnO2, and V2O5 can enhance microwave sintering. Amongst them, Cr2O3 is the most effective. The characteristic of the X-ray diffraction peaks of Ca3SiO5 is similar to those of standard Ca3SiO5, but the peaks are wider.