Synthesis of indium tin oxide powder by solid-phase reaction with microwave heating

Indium tin oxide (ITO) powder was synthesized from indium oxide and tin oxide powders by a solid-phase method using microwave heating and conventional heating methods. Microwave heating could reduce the treatment time necessary for the completion of the solid-phase reaction by 1/30. This decrease was attributed to an increase in the diffusion rate of Sn at the local heat spot in the indium oxide formed by microwave irradiation. However, microwave heating also decreased the amount of ITO produced, since the powder layer of the raw material was heated unevenly and had an uneven temperature distribution.