Influence of Processing Conditions for Nickel Particles Prepared by Pulsed Microwave Heating in Liquid

Abstract

A technique, pulsed microwave heating in liquid, is examined under the condition for time- and space-selective heating of nickel particles dispersed in liquid. This technique is modified from the pulsed laser melting in liquid for submicrometer spherical particle fabrication. When nickel particles that are 50 µm in size or larger were dispersed in low-dielectric-loss hexane with a concentration of 2 g L⁻¹ or higher, particle became large with smooth surface by microwave irradiation, suggesting that the particle surface temperature was elevated over the melting point. Pulsed microwave irradiation with short pulse width and large pulse frequency is effective for the fabrication of particles with smooth surfaces. Thus, pulsed microwave melting in liquid would provide a new processing technique at high temperatures in a liquid environment.