Radio frequency electrothermal heating enables green manufacturing of ceramics

Abstract: This work introduces a novel radio-frequency (RF) electrothermal heating approach for sustainable high-temperature, non-contact, and scalable material processing. This method addresses key limitations of traditional furnace-based heating systems which suffer from slow heating rates, poor thermal uniformity, and high energy consumption. Electrification of heating could reduce both operational costs and associated greenhouse gas emissions. RF induction coils were designed to heat conductive materials, specifically Hi-Nicalon Type S silicon carbide fibers, to temperatures exceeding 1200 °C in an inert, controlled environment. The system achieves rapid heating rates reaching up to 200 °C/s at only 1 W of applied power, demonstrating highly efficient energy conversion. Experimental heating results were complemented by COMSOL Multiphysics simulations, which show good agreement in temperature profiles, validating that the heating behavior observed in experiments can be reproduced and predicted through simulation. To demonstrate scalability and relevance to continuous green manufacturing, the RF apparatus was integrated into a roll-to-roll configuration, enabling continuous contactless heating of silicon carbide fiber tows. This establishes a pathway for continuous, high-temperature RF-based processing of industrially relevant materials. This work defines a new platform for sustainable high-throughput thermal treatment of conductive materials and highlights its applicability to next-generation composite and ceramic manufacturing, as well as other advanced industrial thermal processes.