Abstract
Cold spraying enables the production of pure and dense metallic coatings with very little porosity and oxygen content, all of which play an important role in corrosion resistance. This study investigates the microstructure, denseness (impermeability), and corrosion properties of tantalum coatings produced by high-pressure cold spraying. Various tests were conducted to assess corrosion behaviors in different aqueous solutions. Microstructural studies showed that interfaces in the coatings were practically free of voids and confirmed that high levels of localized plastic deformation occurred as expected during spraying. The study also confirmed that the polarization behavior of the cold-sprayed tantalum is similar to that of the corresponding tantalum bulk in saline as well as sulfuric and hydrochloric acid solutions.