Abstract: The present invention relates to materials and more particularly to particulate materials suitable for use as thermal spraying powders.There is disclosed a process for the preparation of a particulate material suitable for use as a thermal spraying powder which includes treating a mixture comprising an inorganic substance as a major component (as defined in the Specification) and a sol to gel the sol thereby to form an intermediate material comprising inorganic substance and gel and heating the intermediate material.One example of thermal spraying is plasma spraying.

Abstract: A process for improving the wear resistance of metals, comprising the operation of implanting into a metal article the wear resistance of which is to be improved ions of a material which is capable of forming within the article oxide compounds having a perovskite-type structure, and terminating the implantation of the ions when a dose of at least 10.sup.15 ions per square centimeter has been implanted.The process may also include an oxidizing stage after the implantation of the ions. Examples of the process are described in which the article is made of a steel and the ions are selected from the group consisting of Y.sup.+, Sc.sup.+, Yb.sup.+, Ce.sup.+, La.sup.+ and Dy.sup.+.