Effect of surface oxide film and atmosphere on microwave heating of compacted copper powder

The microwave irradiation was performed using a compacted Cu powder under different oxygen partial pressures. After reaching about 600 K, an abrupt temperature rise and drop occurred. The abrupt temperature drop is caused by both sintering of Cu powder particles and growing of surface oxide film. The magnitude of the abrupt temperature drop decreased with increasing oxygen partial pressure. The temperature then remained constant (steady state), gradually increased or exhibited a secondary significant increase. The magnitude of the temperature rise after abrupt temperature drop increased with increasing oxygen partial pressure. The microwave heating behavior of the compacted Cu powder depended on the type and thickness of the surface oxide film and also on the type and volume fraction of the gas occupying the vacant spaces between the Cu powder particles.