What needs to be discovered, learned, and understood to advance thermal spray beyond existing practices? Is revenue a realistic indicator of progress and advancement or is it just a framework for a much bigger picture? This article reviews some past successes, failures, and unrealized potentials of industrial and manufacturing outcomes and provides details of the knowns and unknowns of the thermal spray portfolio.

Using thermal spray to coat the interiors of pipes and tubes used in heavy duty applications enhances mechanical properties and extends component lifetimes. This article describes results from a trials to optimize coating properties produced with new hardware designed to coat pipe interiors with diameters down to less than 5 inches, which has traditionally been a challenge for the production of high quality coatings.

This article presents an overview of the use of thermal spray technology at The Boeing Co., dating back to 1968 when the first thermal spray specification, "Plasma Flame Spray Coating," was released. It also discusses anticipated needs based on industry trends.

This article reviews the current state of thermal spray nanocomposite coating technology and assesses commercially available feedstock materials as well as those in development.

This article presents highlights from a panel session held at International Materials, Applications & Technologies (IMAT) 2023. Experts from ASM affiliate societies shared insights on the impact of new materials and manufacturing technologies in their respective fields. The panel was moderated by David Furrer, Pratt & Whitney. The panelists were Thomas Ackerson, Blue Origin LLC (representing the Failure Analysis Society); Arvind Agarwal, College of Engineering and Computing, Florida International University (Thermal Spray Society); Marvin Barnes, NASA (Heat Treating Society); Jay Demarest, IBM (Electronic Device Failure Analysis Society); and Laura Moyer, Lehigh University (International Metallographic Society).

This article discusses some of the newer thermal barrier coating materials being considered for use in gasified coal-based turbines and how they compare with conventional materials in terms of bond coat oxidation and topcoat damage due to particle erosion and molten ash deposits.

This article describes work to develop a cost-efficient plasma gun capable of high deposition rates. Engineers analyzed both gun components and gas flow dynamics to design a gun that improves plasma stability. Considerable effort was spent on characterizing the use of the gun for spraying yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for thermal barrier applications.

Moisture-electric energy transformation (MEET) technology is being developed to further expand the utilization of environmental energy sources like thermal power, wind power, hydropower, and solar energy. The goal of the MEET technology is to extract power from environmental moisture with as few conversion processes as possible to satisfy the ever-growing demand for new and more portable energy sources The use of cold spray to produce MEET devices results in a greener process. While the suitability of polyether ether ketone as a MEET material was proven and the deposition of PEEK using cold gas dynamic spray (CGDS) was achieved, additional work is needed to fully characterize the manufacturing of PEEK-based MEET devices via CGDS.

Increasing and controlling particle impact temperature is proving to be beneficial for both process performance and coating properties.

Coating development using cold gas spray technology demonstrates the feasibility of bonding polymers to metal substrates and metals to polymer composite substrates with good adhesion. The examples addressed are polyetheretherketone (PEEK) coatings on steel and aluminum substrates and metallic coatings on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites.

Thermal spray coatings are widely used to keep power plants running at full capacity. An example is the application of HVOF-sprayed CrC-NiCr to protect generating and superheater banks from sulfuric and vanadium gases. Other examples include the use of arc spraying to deposit high Cr content Ni alloy to extend the life of coal-fired boiler tubes and to apply amorphous work hardening coatings to surfaces in the flu gas path that are susceptible to high-temperature corrosion and wear.

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with segmented or cracked microstructures exhibit enhanced thermal cyclic behavior and erosion resistance, along with improved application economics, over conventional TBCs.

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) exacts a heavy toll on petrochemical processing equipment, particularly piping, where leaks and safety risks associated with CUI drive maintenance costs. This article assesses the high cost of CUI and explains how the petrochemical industry is working to reduce those costs by protecting components with thermal spray aluminum (TSA) coatings and by employing complementary pipe welding procedures.

Developing a disciplined approach to standardizing special processes and introducing new technologies is key to eliminating defects in thermal spray applications.

Recent advances in thermal spray techniques enable thermal spray aluminum coatings to reliably protect offshore structures in splash zones.

The Australian Research Council is funding a new training center in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials (SEAM) based in Melbourne, Australia. This article describes the research, development, and educational objectives of the new center, which aims to solve crucial surface engineering problems, such as their design, fabrication, testing, analysis, and pathways towards value-added applications.

Radio frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF-ICP) spraying is shown to be a promising method for producing oxidation-resistant W and W-Cr coatings on plasma-facing surfaces in fission and fusion reactors.

To learn about the important connection between mechanical engineering and materials science, we turned to five experts with backgrounds in both fields for insight. The panelists share their perspectives on how the two disciplines informed their careers, which types of design challenges can be solved with materials information, and how ASM can improve that connection by leading with a “unity of disciplines” approach. The panelists are Scott Carpenter, Vactronix Scientific; Bertrand Jodoin, University of Ottawa; Vistasp Karbhari, The University of Texas at Arlington; Marina B. Ruggles-Wrenn, Air Force Institute of Technology; and Judith A. Todd, The Pennsylvania State University.

Thermal spraying is being incorporated into more manufacturing processes where its primary role is to deposit a layer of material or a free-standing structure that has a functional, rather than a passive, role. Examples include thermally sprayed membranes, electrodes, antennas, thermocouples, inductors, and electrical contacts.

More than one hundred participants attended a special workshop at Stony Brook’s Center for Thermal Spray Research in celebration of its 25-year contribution to the industry. This article reviews highlights of the workshop, including several key presentations from thermal spray experts and notables in the field.