Plasma spray coating is a process that is used to enhance the surface of an item or component in order to improve it in some way. It is one of several types of thermal coating methods and is popular for a variety of reasons.
How does plasma spray coating work?
Plasma spray coating involves injecting fine powder particles into a high-temperature plasma jet. The particles melt rapidly, becoming molten droplets which are then propelled onto the surface of the item. They solidify on impact and bond with each other, forming a coating layer.
Materials that can be used as coatings include aluminium, stainless steel, titanium, alumina, zirconia, tungsten, PTFE and metal-ceramic composites.
Key elements
The elements needed include a plasma gun (the source of the flame), a plasma gas source, an electric charge, an external powder (for the coating), a special anode nozzle and a plasma spray gun.
Advantages
Adding a plasma-sprayed coating to the surface of an item can significantly enhance its existing properties, or even add new ones. These include, but are not limited to, hardness, thermal insulation, electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and pliability. All of these can make the items last longer.
Plasma spray coating specialists
If you feel that your business could benefit from plasma spray coatings, there are a number of experts in this sphere who can offer advice and solutions. Many of these companies have useful online resources, such as the examples seen at www.poeton.co.uk/standard-treatments/plasma-coatings.
Applications
Plasma-sprayed coatings can be applied to a range of surfaces including metallic, ceramic, or even some plastics. In terms of applications, examples of items that have plasma-sprayed coatings include hair straighteners, pet toys, saucepans, medical and dental implants, solar panels, car parts, and miscellaneous mechanical components.
