Engineering nanostructured thermal spray coatings: process–property–performance relationships of ceramic based materials

Nanostructured powders were deposited using thermal spraying to produce coatings having internal features of nanosized dimensions. Several ceramic based materials were studied, including WC–12 wt-%Co, TiO2, hydroxyapatite, Al2O3–13 wt-%TiO2 and yttria stabilised zirconia. The effect of the thermal spray conditions on the microstructure, phase composition, properties and performance was investigated. Key nanostructural features of the coatings were identified and their potential benefit in contributing to enhanced behaviour explored. Issues relating to design strategies and process control for engineering these types of coatings with performance characteristics tailored for targeted applications are discussed.