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Not half-baked
 Not half-baked 7/23/2008 NewScientistTech reports that a group of researchers led by an ACerS member at Penn State believes a new ceramic material could significantly speed up microwave cooking and, thereby, reduce energy usage. Initial tests indicate that foods could be heated to three times the temperature in the same time period. Normally, the dishware used in microwaves is designed to be “transparent” and remain relatively cool while the food cooks. But, the researchers realized that ovenware designed to be heated by microwaves would improve the efficiency of microwave cooking. The group, led by Penn State’s 22-year ACerS member Sridhar Komarneni together with Hiroaki Katsuki and Nobuaki Kamochi at the Saga Ceramic Research Laboratory in Saga, Japan, combined powdered petalite, a lithium-rich mineral, with a small quantity of magnetic iron oxide. The iron oxide component interacts with the microwaves' electric field and rapidly heats, while the insulating petalite component helps to retain that heat after the oven is switched off. Using a 600-watt oven with normal porcelain, the ovenware reached 50-60°C after 70 seconds. In comparison, the new ovenware reached 200°C and continued to quickly gain temperature after the power was switched off, peaking at 294°C. "The microwave-ware saves about 50 percent energy compared to the conventional microwave ware," says Komarneni. He also says private sector interest is strong in the material and is already being commercialized by a company in Japan. << Back to News Join our online discussion forum and comment on this article!
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