Hardfacing technologies (e.g., thermal spraying, surfacing welding, spray welding) and hardfacing materials (tungsten-based, chromium-based, ceramics, etc.) are now widely applied in industries such as steel, aviation, aerospace, automotive, general machinery, energy, petrochemicals, textiles, and papermaking. Thermal spraying technology, one of the rapidly advancing surface engineering techniques in recent years, has gained extensive use in corrosion resistance, wear resistance, thermal insulation, functional coatings, and remanufacturing. It has made significant contributions to the development of the national economy while playing a unique role in energy conservation, emission reduction, and environmental protection—such as replacing hard chromium electroplating and enabling repair and remanufacturing of components.
1.Aviation
Thermal spraying technology is widely applied in the aviation field. For instance, thermal barrier coatings (bond coat + ceramic top coat) are sprayed onto aircraft engine blades. Plasma spraying and high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) spraying are employed to deposit bond coats such as NiCoCrAlY and CoNiCrAlY, as well as ceramic top coats like 8 wt% Y₂O₃-ZrO₂ (YSZ). Modified YSZ systems are also utilized, including oxide-doped YSZ (e.g., rare earth oxide-doped variants), TiO₂+YSZ, YSZ+Al₂O₃ composites, or rare-earth zirconate-based oxides such as La₂(Zr₀.₃Ce₀.₇)₂O₇. Concurrently, research on thermal barrier coatings for rocket engine combustion chambers has been conducted.For helicopters operating in desert environments, the main rotor shafts are susceptible to sand erosion. The application of HVOF or detonation spraying to deposit WC-12Co coatings significantly enhances wear resistance. Additionally, HVOF-sprayed Al-SiC coatings on magnesium alloy substrates in aviation components effectively improve their anti-wear performance.
2.Steel and Oil Industries
The steel industry is a crucial field for the application of thermal spraying technologies. Key components such as blast furnace tuyeres, high-temperature annealing furnace rolls, conveyor rolls for hot-rolled plates, backup rolls, leveling rolls, zinc-coating lift rolls, and sink rolls demonstrate significant benefits when coated with thermal spray technologies. Applying thermal spray coatings to these components can substantially enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, improve product quality, and deliver remarkable economic returns.
Conclusion: The development of cutting-edge technologies in fields such as aero engines, large aircraft, high-grade automotive steel plates, precision ball valves, solid oxide fuel cells, marine exploration (e.g., petroleum extraction), and industrial gas turbines cannot be separated from the application of thermal spraying technology. The rapid advancement of thermal spraying application technology fundamentally relies on the support of high-end thermal spraying materials. Tungsten carbide-based spraying powder stands as one of the most widely used wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials in thermal spraying technology applications.