What materials can be thermally sprayed?
Materials that can be plastically formed either in the solid or liquid state can be deposited. Where heating is involved, only those materials that remain stable upon heating can be sprayed. Instability may refer to oxidation or decomposition of the material. These materials may, however, be deposited in the form of composites where a secondary material is used to protect the unstable or reactive material. Spraying into a special atmosphere, use of a metallic or polymeric binder to form a composite, or encapsulation of these powder are means of protecting the thermally sensitive materials.