Quo vadis thermal spraying?

This paper is devoted to thermal spraying and presents the state of our current knowledge, as well as the following research or development needs: spraying heat sources, i.e., flame, high-velocity oxifuel flame (HVOF), detonation gun (D-Gun), and plasma torches; particle heat and momentum transfer (measurements and modeling), process on-line control, powder morphologies, and injection within the hot jet and reactions with environment; coating formation, i.e., particle flattening and solidification, splat layering, residual stresses, coating microstructure, and properties; and reliability and reproducibility of coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]