The benefits of utilizing the SPPS process include the ability to create unique nanometer sized microstructures without the injection feed problems normally associated with powder systems and flexible, rapid exploration of novel precursor compositions.
Typically, the SPPS process sees material injected into a plasma plume or high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) combustion flame.
The generation of these through thickness cracks was systematically explored and found to be caused by the depositing a controlled portion of unpyrolized material in the coating.
[15] Superior mechanical properties such as bond strength and in-plane toughness result from the nanometer sized microstructure that are created by the SPPS process.
[16][17] These low thermal conductivities were achieved through the generation of an alternating high-porosity, low-porosity microstructure or the synthesis of a low-conductivity precursor composition with rare-earth dopants.