Microstructure and Nanomechanical Properties of Cold Sprayed Tantalum Coatings

Manufacturing of refractory deposits is critical to the development of cold sprayed surface protective coatings for metals and alloys in high temperature applications. Lack of scientific understanding of the processing, microstructure and properties correlations in cold sprayed refractory coatings severely thwarts development of these novel materials. This study presents the dependence of local, nanometric length scale mechanical response of cold sprayed tantalum coatings as a function of varying microstructures at the jetting interfaces and interior of individual splats. This understanding will enable the development of spraying routes for manufacturing temperature-resistant, integrated coatings with tailored microstructure and mechanical properties.