Susceptor-enclosed rapid microwave sintering of lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide solid electrolytes within 30 min

Here, we report microwave sintering in a hexagonal susceptor enclosure produces ∼94% dense Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ electrolytes in <30 min, reducing processing time from ∼6 h for conventional sintering. Microstructural analysis reveals rapid heating to 1150 °C enriches grain boundaries, promoting densification. Intrinsically, reduced tetragonal distortion rapidly accesses bulk-ionic conductivity (∼10^-6-10^-5 S cm^-1) within the same order of magnitude as conventional sintering. Overall, these microwave sintered electrolytes achieve total ionic conductivity within the same order of magnitude as conventional sintering, while providing a twelvefold reduction in processing time.