On-line tools for microscopic and macroscopic monitoring of microwave processing

International audience; Direct monitoring of temperature, chemistry and microstructure is required to understand microwave heating in more detail, in order to fully exploit the unique features this non-equilibrium processing method can offer. In this paper, we show first that microwave radiometry can be used to follow volumetrically the thermal trajectory of microwave-heated aluminium powder. In-situ Raman spectroscopy is then shown to evidence thermal gradients between diamond and silicon grains in a binary powder mixture. Finally, perspectives and preliminary results of microstructural analysis obtained from X-ray microtomography are presented.