Process-microstructure-property relationships in controlled atmosphere plasma spraying of ceramics

Thermal plasma spray processes with their various operating parameters can be considered a flexible technique to carry out appropriate manufacturing of advanced ceramics coatings. This paper reports on investigations dealing with plasma spraying of several ceramics powders (hydroxyapatite, Al 2O 3–TiO 2, Al 2O 3, ZrO 2–Y 2O 3 (YSZ) and Cr 2O 3) with suitable parameters using a ‘controlled atmosphere plasma spraying’ (CAPS) system. High-pressure plasma spraying, air plasma spraying and inert plasma spraying modes were applied in order to obtain suitable microstructures in the coatings. The investigation of microstructures and phase compositions showed that high-pressure in the CAPS chamber leads to sufficient heating of the powder and have a promising coating quality.