First Demonstration of Microwave-Induced Hydrogen Plasma Sintering for High-Entropy Carbides

High-entropy carbides (HECs) exhibit exceptional hardness, thermal stability, and oxidation resistance, but their conventional sintering methods require high energy input and extended processing times. This study presents the first demonstration of microwave-induced hydrogen plasma (MIHP) sintering as an energy-efficient alternative, achieving rapid phase formation in HECs at 2000°C using only 600W of microwave power. Single-phase HECs were successfully synthesized from precursor powders (<50 μm), as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), with measured lattice parameters of 4.336–4.345 Å. The synthesized material exhibited 20–30% porosity, which is beneficial for biomedical applications such as bone implants. Preliminary studies indicate that porosity decreases with increasing plasma pressure, providing a means to tailor material properties for specific applications. These findings establish MIHP as a scalable, low-energy pathway for high-entropy materials under extreme conditions.