Hybrid microwave∕conventionally heated calorimeter

The design and construction of a calorimeter in which the specimen may be heated by microwave radiation and∕or hot air is described. The apparatus was used to examine the effect of microwave radiation on the melting of benzil ( 89 ° C ) and the solid-state phase transition of silver iodide ( 147 ° C ) . Reproducibility of transition temperature determinations were within ± 1 ° C . No changes were observed for benzil but silver iodide exhibited an apparent reduction in transition temperature to around 120 ° C in the presence of microwaves, which increased with the level of microwave irradiation.