This center is the world’s leading institution in the study of the interaction of matter with microwave radiation.
It has published some 230+ papers and about 20 patents. Its success is based on a sequence of remarkable discoveries:
- Increasing the kinetics by 10-100X, of all reactions involving the most important materials of modern materials science: BaTiO3; ferrites, silicon, powdered metals, WC/Co, etc.
- The details and principles of "Anisothermal" reactions in any multiphase systems
- Applicability of microwave energy to process metallic materials: Sintering, brazing, melting, etc.
- The physical materials processing utilizing separation of E & H fields at microwave frequencies
- The radical differences between the E & H fields in interaction with matter, including the formation of different phases, and dramatic differences in reaction kinetics.
- The ability to de-crystallize many of the most significant crystalline phases of materials technology—in a few seconds
- Synthesis of ZnO microtubes and carbon nanotubes
Most of the center support has come from two dozen companies and the government agencies.