Cold Spray Coating Technologies and Applications

Cold spray is a solid-state deposition technique whereby metallic or composite powder particles are entrained within a high-velocity gas jet and accelerated to supersonic speeds before impacting a substrate. Upon impact, severe plastic deformation and adiabatic heating at the particle–substrate interface promote mechanical interlocking and metallurgical bonding without significant thermal input, preserving feedstock chemistry and mitigating oxidation. Control of gas temperature, pressure and nozzle design allows deposition on diverse substrates including metals, polymers and ceramics. Cold spray enables the fabrication of thick coatings and freeform additive manufacturing, as well as targeted surface repair and enhancement of degraded components. Applications span aerospace corrosion protection, biomedical implant surface functionalisation, electronic component metallisation and nuclear component restoration. Recent advancements in powder engineering, process monitoring and post-process densification have addressed historical challenges related to coating porosity and mechanical strength, opening pathways for high-performance, environmentally friendly surface engineering across multiple industries.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have elucidated the fundamental dynamics underpinning particle–substrate interactions in cold spray deposition. Real-time multi-frame imaging of microspheres impacting elastomeric substrates at supersonic speeds revealed conformal penetration and rebound phenomena, informing substrate compliance considerations. Investigations of metallic microparticle collisions have shown that extreme plasticity and particle deformation under high-strain-rate impact are governed by localized heating and material flow instabilities, which control bonding efficacy. Furthermore, in situ observations of melt-driven erosion in ductile metals have established thresholds between bonding, rebound and erosion regimes, enabling predictive models of deposition efficiency and coating integrity.

Cold Spray Coating Technologies and Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in cold spray coating technologies and applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Cold spray: A solid-state coating process in which powder particles are accelerated by a high-velocity gas stream and deposited onto substrates via plastic deformation without melting.

Supersonic particle dynamics: The study of particle behaviour and impact phenomena when accelerated above the speed of sound in a propellant gas.

Interparticle bonding: The mechanism by which deformed particles adhere to each other and the substrate through mechanical interlocking and metallurgical bonding at high strain rates.

Polymer metallisation: The application of metallic coatings onto polymer or composite substrates using cold spray to impart electrical, thermal or functional properties.

Post-process treatment: Techniques such as heat treatment, hot isostatic pressing or surface modification applied after deposition to reduce porosity, enhance bonding and tailor microstructure.

References

1. Dynamics of supersonic microparticle impact on elastomers revealed by real–time multi–frame imaging. Scientific Reports (2016).
2. Dynamics and extreme plasticity of metallic microparticles in supersonic collisions. Scientific Reports (2017).
3. Melt-driven erosion in microparticle impact. Nature Communications (2018).
4. Towards high-strength cold spray additive manufactured metals: Methods, mechanisms, and properties. Journal of Material Science and Technology (2024).
5. Polymer metallization via cold spray additive manufacturing: A review of process control, coating qualities, and prospective applications. Additive Manufacturing (2021).
6. Effect of Cold-Spray Parameters on Surface Roughness, Thickness and Adhesion of Copper-Based Composite Coating on Aluminum Alloy 6061 T6 Substrate. Processes (2023).
7. Development of Sustainable Cold Spray Coatings and 3D Additive Manufacturing Components for Repair/Manufacturing Applications: A Critical Review. Coatings (2017).
8. Post-Process Treatments on Supersonic Cold Sprayed Coatings: A Review. Coatings (2020).
9. Effect of Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Stainless Steel 316L Coatings Produced by Cold Spray for Biomedical Applications. Journal of Thermal Spray Technology (2014).