Calcined spray-dried hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)(OH)6; i.e., HA) powders were atmospherically plasma sprayed (APS) using various process parameters. The resulting phases within the coating surface and the interface between the coating and the substrate were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. This XRD revealed the presence of both amorphous (i.e., amorphous calcium phosphate: ACP) and crystalline phases. The crystalline phases included both HA and some impurity phases from the decomposition of HA, such as tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP and β-TCP), tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) and calcium oxide (CaO). The crystallinity of HA decreased with increasing spray power and stand-off distance (SOD). The percentage of all impurity phases increased with the spray power. The percentage of both TCP and TTCP decreased with the SOD while the CaO percentage increased. In addition, the percentage of ACP and CaO were higher in the interface than at the surface of the coating while the percentage of TCP and TTCP exhibited the opposite effect.

A method is described wherein a ceramic oxide nanocomposite coating has been produced via a co-precipitation route. The first step in the process consists of forming a solid solution by use of plasma melting, homogenization, and rapid quenching of two ceramics that are normally immiscible. In the best case, the resulting structure is a true solid solution in a new, metastable crystalline structure. The quenched particles can be deposited as a coating or sprayed into water or onto a chill block to form a powder. When the material is sintered via a pressureless process, such as that for a coating, the phase decomposition proceeds quickly, resulting in a homogeneously distributed two-phase structure of micron sized particles. However, when the powders are compacted and sintered at very high pressures (1-8 GPa) and low temperatures (T ~ 0.3 - 0.5 Tm), the increased nucleation of the precipitates results in a composite in which both phases have grain sizes less than 25nm. This paper will review the underlying phenomenon behind the method and the resulting kinetics.

SiC fibre reinforced SiAlON-MoSi2 composites have been manufactured by concurrent fibre winding and low pressure plasma spraying (LPPS), producing multi-layer, circumferentially fibre-reinforced composite rings. LPPS parameters for the powder used were optimised by a two-level experimental design method followed by additional tuning, achieving smooth sprayed surfaces with low matrix porosity and good deposition efficiency. The microstructure of the SiAlON-MoSi2 matrix consisted of a lamellar structure and uniformly distributed SiAlON splats throughout the MoSi2 matrix. The spray/wind composites exhibited 2% porosity and well controlled fibre distribution. Matrix cracking occurred after heat treatment at 1500°C and was attributed to the development of large tensile residual stresses during cooling due to CTE mismatch. Increasing the SiAlON to MoSi2 ratio in the composite solved the problem. Simulations based on residual stresses showed that the maximum permissible fibre volume fraction to avoid matrix cracking was 0.06 for SiC/MoSi2 and 0.23 for SiC/SiAlON(40v/o)-MoSi2.

Stoichiometric cordierite (2MgO-2Al2O3-5SiO2) with additions of titania have been investigated for use as coatings on low thermal expansion refractory concretes. These concretes have coefficients of thermal expansion on the order of 2 ppm/°C. Titania additions of up to 8 mole percent were investigated and the effect of titania in the crystallization of cordierite was examined. Cordierite coatings were air plasma sprayed and both glass and crystalline coatings were produced. The crystalline structure of the coating was found to be dependent upon the preheat temperature of the substrate. Preheats greater than 700 °C produced a mixture of a quartz solid solution and indialite whereas glass coatings were produced at preheats less than 700 °C. Coefficients of thermal expansion for the cordierite materials were dependent upon titania addition and generally increased with addition of titania. In the glass state, the thermal expansion was modestly increased (4.6 to 4.9 ppm/°C) with titania additions, but the quartz and indialite forms of the cordierite increased from 1.2 to 4.7 ppm/°C as the titania addition increased from 0 to 8 mole percent.

Reusable space vehicles, which must withstand re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, require external protection systems (TPS) which are usually in the forms of rigid surface in areas of high or moderate working temperature. High heat fluxes and temperatures related to high performance hypervelocity flights also require the use of TPS materials having good oxidation and thermal shock resistance, dimensional stability, and ablation resistance. Components by these materials are usually fabricated, starting from either billets or plate stocks, by uniaxial hot pressing, and complex parts, such as low radius edges, are then obtained by electrical discharge machining technique. This article investigates an alternative fabrication technology, based on plasma spraying, to produce near net shape components. Results of experimental activities, such as optimization of plasma spraying parameters based on a DOE approach, are reported and discussed.

Quasicrystalline phases improve many alloy properties such as thermomechanical stability, thermal and electrical conductivity, and tribological performance. High hardness, however, is accompanied by brittleness, an undesired property in many applications. Reduced brittleness can be achieved by embedding quasicrystalline phases in a more ductile material, forming a metal-matrix composite that retains some quasicrystalline properties. This study evaluates thermally sprayed coatings made from different compositions of such composites. The coatings assessed were produced by arc-wire, HVOF, and atmospheric plasma spraying using various forms of feed material, including blended, agglomerated, chemical encased, and attrition-milled powders and filled wires. The investigation involved metallurgical analysis, proving the existence of quasicrystal content and assessing the matrix phase, and tests showing how sliding wear is influenced by the composition of quasicrystalline phases.

A brief feasibility study was performed to produce thermal spray coatings using gas atomized powders of Cu47Ti34-xZr11Ni8Six, where x=0 and 1. These alloys have previously been shown to be capable of forming metallic glasses having thick (1-2 cm) cross sections because they can be cooled from the melt at relatively low cooling rates (e.g., 100-102Ks-1). The properties of these metallic glasses include high strength, high elasticity and high fracture toughness. Amorphous plasma arc sprayed coatings were produced which were close in composition to the starting powders, and exhibited comparable glass transition and crystallization behavior. The amorphous structure of the as-sprayed coatings was used as a source for forming a range of partially devitrified and fully crystallized structures. The average hardness of the coatings increased from around 6 GPa to near 10 GPa as the degree of crystallization increased.

The focus of this paper is to determine the friction and wear characteristics between conventional metal-metal contacts and cermet-metal contacts. A WC-Co based cermet, applied by the High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) process on a carbon steel substrate has been investigated in contact with cast iron pins. That has been compared with conventional carbon steel/cast iron couples. A mineral oil and a mineral oil containing the additive zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) were used as the lubricants. The formation of a wear film has been shown to vary on the metal and cermet surface. The friction and wear response and the wear film nature are discussed.

Molybdenum silicides have the potential as protective coatings for high-temperature applications because of their high melting point and their high-temperature oxidation resistance. Reinforcing MoSi2 with SiC shows an improvement of its low toughness at room temperature and low creep resistance at temperatures above the brittle-ductile transition temperature of approximately 700-1000 °C. A new kind of powder processing was used to produce MoSi2 and MoSi2-SiC as a feedstock for thermal spraying. Mixtures of the elemental powders, molybdenum and silicon, were prepared by milling and subsequent heat treatment to get highly dispersed, pre-reacted powders. As high-energy milling equipment, a planetary ball mill was used to prepare the powders. In the case of reinforcement, SiC was mixed to the pre-reacted MoSi2 at the end of the milling process, that means before heat treatment. On these as-milled powders, X-ray diffraction characterization (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe micro analysis (EPMA) and determination of the oxygen level were carried out. Vacuum plasma spraying has been used to deposit the powders onto a carbon steel substrate. Evaluated coating characteristics were the microstructure (SEM), phases (XRD), EPMA, oxygen content, microhardness and surface roughness. Tests at high temperatures will be considered in future work.

The plasma-spray process is specified by the associated processing parameters, where these influence the properties of the resultant deposits. This article describes the preparation and processing of composite powders for use in thermal spraying by mixing high purity zircon and alumina powders. The spheroidized powder were obtained by high energy ball milling and rapid solidification from the molten state during plasma spraying. The article discusses the processes involved in spray drying and plasma spheroidization, describing thermal analysis and mullitization kinetics in the spheroidized alumina/zircon mixtures.

As a new plasma gun technology the TRIPLEX system has been introduced in the industrial field two years ago. The core of the TRIPLEX technology is a plasma gun with three cathodes and a long cascaded nozzle consisting of several insulated rings. Only the last ring with a relatively long distance to the cathode is operated as anode. Because of the equal and constant lengths of the three independent arcs, stretching from the three cathodes to the common anode, a stationary plasma jet is generated. Compared to conventional torches, the improved stability of the plasma jet allows a more uniform powder treatment and a higher deposition efficiency as well as the powder feed rate can be increased using a triple injection system. A significantly longer life time of the electrodes reduces the cost for quality control in the coating process. The characteristic properties of oxide ceramic coatings are improved in comparison with the coatings produced by conventional plasma torches. The results of two years industrial application of the innovative torch system TRIPLEX are presented in the paper.