Plasma spray forming is recently explored as a near-net-shape fabrication route for ultra-high temperature metals and ceramics. In this study, monolithic tungsten has been produced using an atmospheric plasma spray forming and subsequent high temperature sintering. The spray-formed tungsten preform from different processing parameters has been evaluated in terms of metallurgical aspects, such as density, oxygen content and hardness. A well-defined lamellae structure was formed in the as-sprayed deposit by spreading of completely molten droplets, with incorporating small amounts of unmelted/partially-melted particles. Plasma sprayed tungsten deposit had 84-87% theoretical density and 0.2-0.3 wt.% oxygen content. Subsequent sintering at 2500 promoted the formation of equiaxed grain structure and the production of dense preform up to 98% theoretical density.

Aluminum Alloys with a content of 22 wt.-% were spray formed. This alloy features by a low density and is therefore a superior material for leightweight applications. The main problem in spray forming of this type of alloy was the occurance of high porosities. First process optimizations have been performed to decrease porosity under a certain level, so that it can be closed by an extrusion process

Porosity in spray-formed materials is an important issue, but the formation of porosity is not completely understood. The paper gives some examples picked from literature, which show some general correlations between process parameters and porosity. To improve the understanding of porosity formation it is necessary to know more about the conditions of the droplets and the deposit at the point of impingement. Determining the impact conditions is a challenge because usually they are not constant with time and some values are difficult to measure. Our experiments show a strong correlation between the deposit surface temperature and the porosity. The average impact angle weighted by the local particle mass flux is also an important parameter.

(i) The development of a metallurgical bond during the spray forming of clad products has offered the possibility of manufacturing large rolls, including those used in hot and cold strip mills. Small rolls are already being produced in Japan. (ii) Technical developments, including the use-of-multi-atomizers have resulted in the elimination of porosity from the internal bore of a sprayed tube. Bimetallic tubing can also be manufactured and the installation of a 4.5 ton tube plant in the USA should provide low operation costs. (iii) Spray forming offers a potentially low cost manufacturing route for superalloy ring/casing components in high strength superalloys. (iv) A large pilot plant has been built for the spray forming of ultra-clean superalloys for turbine disc applications. (v) Using twin-atomizing technology, special steel billets have been spray formed up to 400mm diameter with deposition yields in excess of 90%. (vi) Al/Si alloy extrusion billets with excellent dimensional tolerances are being manufactured for large scale automotive applications. Several new aluminum alloys have also been developed, including high strength, low density and low cocfficient of expansion materials. (vii) New copper alloys have been developed and pilot plants are in operation to produce these alloys once markets have become established.

In order to predict droplet velocity and temperature profiles and fractional solidification with flight distance during spray forming, the Newtonian heat transfer formulation has been coupled with the classical heterogeneous nucleation and the specific solidification process. It has been demonstrated that the thermal profile of the droplet in flight is significantly affected by process parameters such as droplet size, initial gas velocity, undercooling. As the droplet size and/or the initial gas velocity increase, the onset and completion of solidification are shifted to greater flight distances and the solidification process also extends over a wider range of flight distances. The amounts of solid fractions formed during recoalescence, segregated solidification and eutectic solidification are insensitive to droplet size and initial gas velocity whereas those are strongly affected by the degree of undercooling. There are good linear relations between the undercooling and the corresponding solid fractions generated during recoalesced, segregated and eutectic stages.

6061Al-SiCP metal matrix composite materials(MMCs) were fabricated by injecting SiCP particles directly into the atomized spray. The main attraction of this technique is the rapid fabrication of semi-finished, composite products in a combined atomization, particulate injection(10 , 40 , SiCP) and deposition operation. Conclusions obtained are as follows; The microstructure of the unreinforced spray formed 6061Al alloy consisted of relatively fine(50 ) equiaxed grains. By comparision, the microstructure of the I/M materials was segregated and consisted of relatively coarse(150 ) grains. The probability of clustering of SiCP particles in co-sprayed metal matrix composites increased it ceramic particle size(SiCP) was reduced and the volume fraction was held constant. Analysis of overspray powders collected from the spray atomization and deposition experiments indicated that morphology of powders were nearly spherical and degree of powders sphercity was deviated due to composite with SiCp particles. Interfacial bonding between matrix and ceramics was improved by heat treatment and addition of alloying elements(Mg). Maximum hardness values [Hv: 165 kg/mm2 for Al-10 SiCp Hv--159 kg/mm2 for Al-40 SiCp] were obtained through the solution heat treatment at for 2 hrs and aging at , and there by the resistance were improved.

This study was performed to determine the effects of the blanching condition (immersion ratio 1:15 (w/v) for 3 min at 95oC, and solution containing 1% sodium chloride) and selected forming agents (dextrin DE=10, dextrin DE=20, β-cyclodextrin; each forming agents added 5%) on the phytochemical compounds and quality characteristics of Ligularia fischeri leaves. The moisture was not affected by the forming agent. The color of a, b and chroma values were low in the blanching treatment groups and were significantly lowest with β-cyclodextrin (CD). The polyphenol and flavonoid contents in the blanching treatment groups were higher than those in the non-blanching-treatment group. The ascorbic acid content was higher in the non-blanching-treatment group and was significantly highest in the group treated with dextrin (DE=10) whereas the blanching treatment groups showed lower dehydroascorbic acid content than the non-blanching-treatment group. The water absorption was higher in the non-blanching-treatment group and was significantly highest in the group treated with CD. The water solubility in the blanching treatment groups treated with dextrin (DE=20) and CD was higher than that in the blanching treatment group treated with DE=10. The total chlorophyll and chlorophyll a and b contents were high in the blanching treatment group treated with CD, and for the total carotenoid contents, the same tendency as that seen with the chlorophyll content was observed. With regard to the particle diameter, those in the blanching treatment groups were lower than that in the non-blanching-treatment group and was significantly lowest in the blanching treatment groups treated with DE=20 and CD. The result of SEM observation showed that the spray-dried powders in blanching treatment groups treated with the DE=20 and CD forming agents had uniform particle distribution.