Liquid feedstock thermal spray

The field of thermal spray is witnessing advancements with respect to layered coatings from liquid feedstocks. Thermal spray deposition coatings, containing nanostructured phases, can be achieved using agglomerated nanocrystals and improvements can be done in the performance of tribocoatings, thermal barriers, and corrosion resistant layers, bio-compatible and poly-catalytic coatings. Two feedstock thermal spray techniques that have been developed are Suspension Plasma Spray (SPS) and Solution Precursor Thermal Spray (SPTS). The homogeneity of powder suspensions in water or organic solvents can be improved by the use of dispersing and deflocculating agents and stabilizing suspensions either electrostatically or sterically. Thermal barrier coatings, coatings for high performance SOFCs such as lanthanum-strontium perovskites and yttria stablized zirconia are considered as most promising applications of STS and SPTS.