Microstructural characterization studies to relate the properties of thermal-spray coatings to feedstock and spray conditions

This paper reports how microstructural information, obtainable for thick free-standing thermal-spray (plasma-sprayed) ceramic deposits by small-angle scattering, can be used to explore the relationships among the feedstock or spray process conditions, the anisotropic void and crack microstructures of the deposits, and technologically important deposit properties such as thermal conductivity. The application of near-surface small-angle scattering to characterize the microstructure of sub-millimeter-thick coatings on the substrate is also reported for the first time.