The principal aim of this book is to introduce chemists through a tutorial approach to the use
of microwaves by examining several experiments of microwave chemistry and materials processing.
It will subsequently enable chemists to fashion their own experiments in microwave chemistry or
materials processing. Microwave heating has become a popular methodology in introducing thermal
energy in chemical reactions and material processing in laboratory-scale experiments. Several
research cases where microwave heating has been used in a wide range of fields have been
reported including organic synthesis polymers nanomaterials biomaterials and ceramic
sintering among others. In most cases microwave equipment is used as a simple heat source.
Therefore the principal benefits of microwave radiation have seldom been taken advantage of.
One reason is the necessity to understand the nature of electromagnetism microwave engineering
and thermodynamics. However it is difficult for a chemist to appreciate these in a short time
so they act as barriers for the chemist who might take an interest in the use of microwave
radiation. This book helps to overcome these barriers by using figures and diagrams instead of
equations as much as possible.
