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AssigneeCEM Corporation
InventorsMichael J. Collins, Wyatt P. Hargett, Jr.
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for controllably heating material directly and indirectly by microwave radiation comprises a chamber in which the material to be heated (often to dryness, as for analysis) is placed, a source of microwave radiation for radiating into materials in such chamber for controllably heating such a material, and a support for such material, which support comprises a matrix of microwave radiation-transmissive material and a particulate microwave absorptive material dispersed in such matric material, which microwave absorptive material has a Curie temperature, above which it becomes microwave transmissive, so as thereby to prevent excessive heating of the support and the material thereon which is to be controllably heated, and which matrix material is stable and form-retaining at the Curie temperature of the dispersed material. Preferably the support will be of a silicone rubber or a polyfluoroalkylene polymer matrix, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, and the dispersed material therein will be a ferrite, garnet or mixture thereof. The apparatus may include a turntable for carrying a plurality of supports or it may include an automatic electronic balance, in both of which embodiments of the invention computerized controls and/or readout means may be present. Also within the invention are the described support, and processes for effecting such heating and/or drying, in one of which processes a particulate diluent or dispersant for the sample being treated is employed to prevent overheating thereof.
A process for analyzing a thermally sensitive material for its content of volatilizable component(s) without causing degradation of such material so as to cause removal of more than the volatilizable component(s) therefrom which comprises making a mixture of the thermally sensitive material to be analyzed and a compatible inert and thermally stable dispersant material by dispersing such material to be analyzed, in particulate or powder form, in such dispersant material, which is in particulate or powder form, placing the mixture of such materials on a movable support, at least a portion of which is microwave absorptive so that it is heated by microwave radiation and heats the thermally sensitive material being analyzed, and becomes microwave transmissive at a temperature below that at which the thermally sensitive material is degraded, weighing such mixture of thermally sensitive material and dispersant material, on or off the support, controllably heating such mixture of materials by microwave radiation to drive off the volatilizable component(s) without causing thermal degradation of the thermally sensitive material, and weighing the remaining mixture of materials, on or off the support, which mixture is that from which the volatilizable component(s) had been driven off.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.