Decrystallizing solid crystalline titania, without melting, using microwave magnetic fields

TiO ₂ - a prototype ceramic - was decrystallized in a 2.45 GHz AC magnetic field in a single mode TE ₁₀₃ applicator. The titania powders were synthesized by a sol-gel process and pressed into circular pellets. The pellets were very slightly reduced at 1273 K in a reducing atmosphere. The reduced pellets were introduced into the single mode microwave cavity and placed at the magnetic field maximum node and exposed for 10-30 s in a forming gas atmosphere. The reacted samples were then characterized by XRD, SEM, Raman, and TEM. The data presented in this note demonstrate that a very short treatment in the AC magnetic field at 2.45 GHz can transform rutile structure oxides to a noncrystalline state.