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The Domestic Microwave Oven as a Rapid Prototyping Tool

Law VJ and Dowling DP

This paper reviews the use of the domestic microwave oven as a rapid processing multi-task prototyping tool. The investigation includes the use of these ovens for both plasma and non-plasma treatments, for the use in materials processing. The use of non-plasma microwave ovens for the processing of organic compounds with, or with, susceptors, ultraviolet irradiation and ultrasound irradiation is reviewed. By modifying the ovens, they can be used for plasma treatments, an example being the plasma sealing of PDMS for use in the fabrication of microfluidic devices and the plasma syntheses of carbon nanomaterials. The examples outline the potential as well as the challenges of the microwave irradiation for material processing, particularly when combined with UV/Vis as well as ultrasonic treatments.