Abstract: A thermal spray material feedstock is provided for “flash-carbide” coatings. Flash carbide coatings are thin, dense, and smooth thermal spray coatings that self-activate the substrate. Flash-carbide coatings form and peen the coating to impart compressive stress for good adhesion and corrosion resistance. To achieve this combination of properties and performance, a powder that includes fine, dense, and angular particles is used; however, this powder alone results in a poor deposition efficiency of typically less than 20%. The present disclosure mitigates the poor deposition efficiency of this powder alone by providing a composition having two or more different particles at a specific ratio to improve deposition efficiency with sufficient optimized stress and corrosion properties and, in some cases, an increase in coating performance.

Abstract: Vacuum plasma gun and method of controlling plasma arc in a vacuum plasma gun. Vacuum plasma gun includes a rear gun body section having an electrode, and a cascade section configured to connect to the rear gun body section. The cascade section includes a plurality of neutrodes arranged to form a neutrode stack. The method includes connecting a cascade neutrode stack to a rear body section of a vacuum plasma gun.

Abstract: A method for deicing an aerostructure includes driving a sensing current through a heater element coated to an aerostructure, the heater element having a resistance that is temperature dependent. A resistance of the heater element is monitored. It is determined whether there is icing at the heater element using the monitored resistance of the heater element. A melting current is driven through the heater element when it is determined that there is icing at the heater element.

Abstract: A method for deicing an aerostructure includes driving a sensing current through a heater element coated to an aerostructure, the heater element having a resistance that is temperature dependent. A resistance of the heater element is monitored. It is determined whether there is icing at the heater element using the monitored resistance of the heater element. A melting current is driven through the heater element when it is determined that there is icing at the heater element.