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Development of Cold Spray and the Current Research Status at Home and Abroad
Release time:
2020-08-28 16:22
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Development of Cold Spray and the Current Research Status at Home and Abroad
The concept of cold spraying was proposed in 1990, originating from the Academy of Sciences of the former Soviet Union in the mid-1980s. During supersonic wind-tunnel experiments using tracer particles, researchers discovered that when the particle velocity exceeded a certain critical threshold, the interaction between the tracer particles and the target surface shifted from erosion to accelerated deposition. In 1995, Papyrin, one of the original Soviet researchers who first engaged in cold-spray studies, jointly published the findings of their research with American scholars at the National Thermal Spray Conference held in the United States. In 2000, at the International Thermal Spray Conference held in Canada, a special session was dedicated to discussing cold-spray technology, thereby drawing widespread international attention to this innovative technique. In recent years, universities and research institutions in major global countries—including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and China—have conducted extensive research on cold-spray technology. The specifics are as follows:
1. Russia
In 1990, the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences was the first to propose the concept of “cold spraying.” Subsequently, scientists conducted in-depth research on the theory and mechanics of cold-spray technology, including meticulous studies on the acceleration and damping of supersonic two-phase gas flows, the development of mathematical formulas, and the analysis of particle ejection velocities under various pressure, temperature, and driving-gas conditions. They also established statistical models for the cold-spray process, investigated the influence of the thermal capacity of gas flows and obstacles on the process, and analyzed the deformation of particles upon impact with obstacles, enabling them to identify optimal conditions for spray coating. Furthermore, they explored specific design approaches for the application of cold-spray technology, striving to use air as the driving gas. These studies laid a solid foundation for the development of cold-spray equipment.
Under the leadership of O. F. Kryuyev, the Russian Obernisk Powder Coating Center has fundamentally transformed the approach to gas-dynamic spraying technology. They have demonstrated that gas-dynamic spraying of pure metals, metal particles, and ceramic powders can be achieved using air pressures below 10 atmospheres. In the accelerated airflow, ceramic particles are simultaneously introduced to compensate for the insufficient kinetic energy of the metal particles through the kinetic energy of the ceramic particles themselves. The accelerated ceramic particles interact with the substrate, thereby dynamically modifying the resulting coating. This process yields dense, uniform, and ductile metallic coatings—such as those made from aluminum, copper, zinc, and nickel. This dynamic metallization process is known as the "Dymet" technology.
The "Jumeite" technology employs air spraying, with a gas consumption rate of 0.5 cubic meters per minute and an operating pressure ranging from 5 to 8 atmospheres. The deposition efficiency of metal particles is lower than that of other methods, at around 50%, because the ceramic particles added to the biphasic mixture are essentially bounced back by the substrate. The overall deposition efficiency is approximately 20–30%. Due to the low gas consumption, the overall production efficiency is also limited by the consumption of powder materials, which stands at 0.5–0.6 grams per second.
2. Ukraine
In Ukraine, scientists have been conducting research on gas-dynamic spraying technology. They use air—heated to 250 degrees Celsius and pressurized at 18 atmospheres—as the driving gas and have identified the potential for applying spray particles larger than 50 micrometers. This is because, as the supersonic airflow undergoes adiabatic cooling, it gradually cools down in the nozzle’s expanding section.
3. United States
Research on cold spray technology in the United States began in the mid-1990s, jointly initiated by Babich and the U.S. Sandia National Laboratories. They designed the basic apparatus for gas-dynamic spraying. Ktech Corporation developed an industrialized computer-controlled gas-dynamic spraying system capable of generating gas pressures up to 30 atmospheres and delivering a power output of 25 kilowatts. ASB Industries improved the operational performance of cold-spray equipment. A key issue in the operation of these systems is that when a strongly heated biphasic mixture is sprayed, metal particles tend to deposit heavily at the critical cross-section of the nozzle. Researchers have also studied spray techniques using particles with sizes ranging from 50 to 150 micrometers. The U.S. Defense Research Laboratory and the University of Pennsylvania have both conducted research aimed at optimizing spray technologies, focusing on enhancing the characteristics of the driving nozzles, selecting the optimal powder materials for spraying, and investigating the properties of the resulting coatings as well as determining their applicability in various technical applications.
4. United Kingdom
In the UK, research on cold spray technology is being conducted at the University of Cambridge, the University of Liverpool, and the University of Nottingham. The primary research focus is on investigating the properties of coatings obtained using pure helium-based cold spray technology and exploring the possibility of directly manufacturing parts with specific shapes using cold spray technology.
5. Canada
The low-temperature spraying technology developed by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) enables coating applications at temperatures below 200°C, with coating thicknesses of 4 mm or greater. This technology achieves particle velocities as high as 1,200 meters per second, and the hardness of the resulting coatings can be precisely controlled by adjusting the hardness of the metallic particles used as feedstock. According to reports from the NRC, some of its particle suppliers are based in China. This technology allows for coating both the inner and outer surfaces of parts; when applying coatings to hollow components, the inner diameter must be at least 70 mm. Prior to coating, the part’s surface must be treated using aluminum sandblasting. For this technology, both the spraying equipment and the raw materials can be directly procured. The key challenge lies in the development of optimized coating processes. The NRC does not manufacture equipment itself; rather, its primary focus is on researching specific process requirements tailored to different raw materials and various part materials.
The University of Ottawa in Canada has used pure helium and nitrogen as jet gases to conduct extensive research on cold spray technology and coating properties, primarily focusing on improving particle propulsion techniques within the nozzle and exploring the potential for applications across various manufacturing processes.
6. Japan
The Japanese Shunshuku University is conducting research on optimizing nozzles. They have discovered that the length of nozzles designed to propel heavy particles can be significantly increased. Furthermore, after the critical section, they adopt a vertical feeding method for metal particles, which effectively prevents particle deposition at the critical section when using highly preheated gases and also shortens the acceleration length.
7. Germany
The University of Bielefeld in Hamburg, Germany, is also conducting extensive research on cold spray technology. Based on mathematical modeling and experimental studies, German researchers have developed a detailed model of cold spray technology and identified the standard conditions under which particles solidify onto the coating surface. They found that when particles impact a barrier, exceeding a critical velocity triggers an adiabatic instability, leading to plastic deformation of the particles and their subsequent fixation onto the barrier. Building on these findings, they determined the critical velocity values for various metal particles and designed optimized round-nozzle nozzles specifically for cold spray applications. Leveraging the results of the aforementioned research, CGT Company has developed gas-dynamic spraying equipment with a power output of 30 kilowatts. To achieve efficient deposition and high-quality coatings, the equipment uses helium as the working gas.
8. China
Many universities and research institutes in China have conducted research on cold spray technology, including primarily Xi'an Jiaotong University, the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Harbin Welding Research Institute, Dalian University of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Beijing University of Technology, Jimei University, Ningbo Institute of Military Science, the Ningbo Institute of Materials of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, and Beijing University of Science and Technology.
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Core spraying equipment: SX-80 plasma spray main unit, with a 15,000℃ flame suitable for multiple materials including zirconia and silicon carbide; powder feeding accuracy of ±1%, and coating thickness tolerance ≤ ±5 μm. Environmental protection support system: Customized soundproof booth + pulse dust collector—effectively addressing spray noise pollution while achieving highly efficient dust recovery, compliant with Thai environmental standards. Automated equipment: 6-axis industrial robot + intelligent spray cart, enabling precise spraying of complex workpieces and automated loading/unloading, boosting production efficiency by 40%.
On-site engineers provide hands-on training, focusing on the core operations of plasma spraying equipment such as the SX-80. Sanxin has customized a complete solution for its customers, including an automated spraying robotic arm, a soundproof booth, and a dust removal system—ensuring both high spraying efficiency and compliance with environmental standards.
Guangzhou Sanxin Thermal Spraying Turntable Shipment
Guangzhou Sanxin Company manufactures single-station and multi-station thermal spray turntables, which can be paired with plasma equipment, supersonic equipment, and arc equipment. We offer rapid, customized production tailored to customer requirements and product dimensions. A thermal spray turntable is a high-precision rotary worktable specifically designed for thermal spraying processes—including flame spraying, plasma spraying, and arc spraying. By providing controllable rotational speed and exceptional stability, it ensures uniform coating thickness on the workpiece surface, thereby enhancing spraying efficiency and quality.
SX-80 plasma equipment is being used at a customer site in Russia.
SX-80 plasma equipment is being used at a customer site in Russia.
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