Microwave Chemistry

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Microwave Chemistry

• By Lacy Craig

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General Concept

• Microwaves are high frequency electric fields and
  will generally heat anything with a mobile
  electric charge.
• The process was first introduced in 1986 and has
  since become an increasingly popular way for
  chemists to heat samples in the laboratory.
• There are two main types of microwave heating
  Dipolar Polarization and Conduction Mechanisms
• There is also Interfacial Polarization

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Dipolar Polarization

• Process that occurs when heating a molecule in a
  polar liquid such as water. The molecules try to
  keep in phase with the polarity field, but cannot
  quite manage it so appear to make random motions,
  therefore jostling one another and creating heat.
  

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Conduction Mechanisms

• Occurs when heating a sample that is an
  electrical conductor.
• Electrons/ions are moved through a material under
  the influence of an electric field (E) which
  results in polarization (P)

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Interfacial Polarization

• This occurs when heating a sample that is in a
  non-polar and non-electricity conducting sample.
• Not of much relevance in most circumstances

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Bibliography

• www.tan-delta.com
• www.infochembio.ethz.ch
• www.dometicusa.com
• www.bybb.com