Abstract: Armor components having a ceramic substrate, a thermal sprayed barrier coating covering the substrate material to form a barrier coated substrate, and an outermost encapsulation of metal generally surrounding at least the periphery of the barrier coated substrate are disclosed herein. The encapsulation of metal was cast to the ceramic substrate as molten metal, and the thermal sprayed barrier coating comprises a cermet material, a ceramic material, or a combination thereof. The ceramic substrate is preferably a ceramic tile for ballistic armor. Also disclosed are armor components having a plurality of the ceramic tiles interconnected by the encapsulation of metal, with the metal, which was casted thereto, surrounding at least the periphery of each of the plurality of the armor components.

Abstract: A durable ceramic and metallic coating has been applied to ceramic tiles to protect the tiles while undergoing a molten metal casting operation. The plasma sprayed coating consists of a ceramic top coat layer of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, or other oxides with or without a metallic bond coat layer and with or without a functionally gradient coating. This coating protects the underlying ceramic tile, which is composed of boron carbide, silicon carbide, alumina (Al2O3) or other type of hard ceramic, from reacting chemically with the molten metal. The molten metal is cast around the ceramic tiles to create a lattice of ceramic tiles that are used for protection from projectiles and shrapnel.

Abstract: A durable ceramic and metallic coating has been applied to ceramic tiles to protect the tiles while undergoing a molten metal casting operation. The plasma sprayed coating consists of a ceramic top coat layer of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, or other oxides with or without a metallic bond coat layer and with or without a functionally gradient coating. This coating protects the underlying ceramic tile, which is composed of boron carbide, silicon carbide, alumina (Al2O3) or other type of hard ceramic, from reacting chemically with the molten metal. The molten metal is cast around the ceramic tiles to create a lattice of ceramic tiles that are used for protection from projectiles and shrapnel.