Titanium boron composite coatings with superior wear performance were selected for use in materials experiments on the International Space Station. The titanium-boron nitride composite coatings were prepared using an atmospheric plasma spray technique from engineered composite powders. The coatings were subjected to extensive characterization and tribological studies. The results show tremendous improvement in the wear performance.

Cold spray is uniquely suitable for depositing a wide range of materials over temperature-sensitive substrates. This article is a case study in using cold spray coatings to restore a 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B racing car.

Field assisted sintering is a breakthrough technique for producing aluminum matrix composites that could replace high-density materials in a variety of applications.

Melt-injection of organic precursors may result in revolutionary technologies for producing ceramic reinforced metal-matrix composite castings.

Additive manufacturing by itself provides many benefits, but by combining different materials processing techniques like traditional casting with additive manufacturing to create hybrid processes, custom materials can be tailor-made and mass produced for applications with specific performance needs. This article reports on research to create metal-metal interpenetrating phase composite materials using additive manufacturing and casting methods in combination.

Field assisted sintering technology (FAST) enables cost-effective manufacturing of metal, ceramic, and composite components with sub-micron grain microstructures and tailored properties.

Clearance-control coatings play a major role in gas turbine engines by minimizing the air gap between rotating blade tips and engine casings. An improvement of just 125 µm can reduce fuel consumption by 0.5%. This article discusses the potential impact of new materials being considered for blade tip coating systems, including NiCoCrAlY bond coats and matrix layers with Hf, Re, or Si additions for better oxidation and creep resistance, embedded angular CBN particles for enhanced incursion of abradable shroud coatings, and double or Pt aluminide topcoats for extended oxidation protection.

Metal-matrix composite (MMC) materials are being developed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for a diverse range of automotive applications from pistons and cylinder liners to exhaust manifolds and chassis sections. The ability to tailor not only the properties but also the functionality of MMCs gives automotive engineers a powerful new tool in dealing with increasingly strict fuel economy standards.