Scientists in the Penn State Microwave Processing and Engineering Center have developed processes that offer huge energy savings in the production of powdered metal products, a $5 billion-plus industry in the United States. Microwave sintering of powder metals can reduce energy usage by 80 percent compared to conventional sintering processes that use gas or electricity, according to Japan’s National Institute for Fusion Science.



This month, The Penn State Research Foundation, the University’s licensing arm, signed contracts with Phoenix, Arizona-based Spheric Technologies to become the exclusive U.S. licensee for patents covering the use of microwave technology to sinter powder metal components and other materials for industrial use.

A visitor to the Center examines the microwave sintering systemIn a Sept 6 press release, Spheric said, "The Penn State patents cover a range of applications, including the synthesis of transparent alumina and sapphire (important in the optics field), and the production of dielectric components (such as varistors and transistors, vital for a wide range of electronic devices). ‘We expect to partner with other corporations and with the Penn State Microwave Processing and Engineering Center, directed by Dr. Dinesh Agrawal, to develop applications for a wide range of industries, including wastewater treatment, mining and basic materials production,’ said Michael Kirksey, Spheric Technologies Executive Vice President."

The licenses cover five inventions, according to Rick Weyer, senior technology officer in Penn State’s Intellectual Property Office. A principal inventor on the patents is Rustum Roy, Evan Pugh Professor of the Solid State Emeritus. Other inventors listed are D. Agrawal, J. Cheng, P. Gigl, S. Gedevanishvili, V. Balasubramaniam, and T. Shrout.

Source: Materials Research Institute Newsletter