In plasma spraying, a gas is fed through an arc between an electrode and a nozzle. When the gas is passed through the arc, extreme heat (up to 20,000° C) is generated , which leads to decomposition and expansion of the gas, whereby the gas reaches a plasma state.
Powder, consisting of the material you want to coat with, passes through the plasma where it melts quickly and is forced at supersonic speed towards the material. Because of the high temperature that arises during plasma spraying, a robot is often used for coating.
The high temperature and good heat conduction provide a fast melting, which allows coating of materials with high melting temperatures. Thanks to the large impact force, the layers become dense and have very good adhesion.
A small oxide content occurs due to the high particle velocity. Another advantage of plasma spraying is the ability to spray a large number of materials, from metals to ceramics, in addition to both small and large components.
The benefits are: