**2.2 Advantages of microwave sintering comparison to conventional methods**

Microwave sintering has achieved worldwide acceptance due to its significant advantages against conventional sintering methods, especially in ceramic materials. A summary of these are[2, 4]: (1) The observation of more rapid reaction and/or sintering during microwave processing of ceramics had led to speculation that microwave processing results in enhanced diffusion; (2) Since microwaves penetrate the dielectric with absorption and heat generation throughout the work piece, microwave sintering is much more efficient and lower processing costs;(3)Generally higher density and better grain distribution can be achieved through microwave sintering;(4) Microwave sintering can significantly shorten the sintering time leading to consume much lower energy than conventional sintering.
