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The present invention provides a method and apparatus of producing a dense coating with desirable stress conditions similar to coatings produced by a cold spray processes, but with higher process efficiencies and lower gas consumption. The inventive process combines features of a plasma process meth

The present invention provides a method and apparatus of producing a dense coating with desirable stress conditions similar to coatings produced by a cold spray processes, but with higher process efficiencies and lower gas consumption. The inventive process combines features of a plasma process method of gas heating and a cold spray process to accelerate the gas, incorporating these elements into a single hybrid process.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A method of applying a coating to a substrate, said method comprising the steps of: introducing a process gas into a thermal spray gun at a flow sufficient for ionization and acceleration for the application of coatings; ionizing the process gas using one or more electr

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of applying a coating to a substrate, said method comprising the steps of: introducing a process gas into a thermal spray gun at a flow sufficient for ionization and acceleration for the application of coatings; ionizing the process gas using one or more electric arcs to heat the gas to temperatures in excess of 2,000 degrees C. with the one or more electric arcs occurring between one or more cathodes and one or more anodes, the one or more electric arcs being seated in an arc attachment step; accelerating the ionized plasma gas to supersonic velocities by a nozzle, having a convergent/divergent section with a throat therein between downstream of the arc attachment step; injecting material feed stock into the resulting high velocity hot gas/plasma stream downstream of the accelerating nozzle throat either internal to the bore of the nozzle or at the exit of the nozzle; and accelerating the material feed stock by the high velocity hot gas/plasma stream to achieve particle velocities from 600 to 2000 m/sec. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed under ambient pressure conditions ranging from atmospheric pressure down to 50 mBar. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in air or in an inert gas environment. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the process gas is one of air, argon, nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, oxygen, and any combination thereof. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric arc or arcs are of sufficient length to produce a high voltage potential in excess of 40 volts DC. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the electric arc or arcs are of sufficient length to produce a high voltage potential in excess of 80 volts DC. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the material feedstock is a powder that has a particle size range of about 5 μm or greater. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the material feedstock has a particle size range of about 30 μm to 75 μm. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the material feedstock is a liquid-based feedstock. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the material feedstock is a liquid bearing suspended particulates in the range of about 1 μm to 75 μm. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrical arcs comprises three distinct arcs used for ionizing and heating the process gas. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the arc attachment step is located within the nozzle. 13. An apparatus for applying a thermal spray coating, comprising: one or more cathodes used as emitters for generating electrical arcs, said cathodes located such that gas suitable for ionization passes across the cathodes; a section of bore that is electrically neutral but can support the partial passage of an electric current during ignition to lengthen the arc and increase the voltage; an anode section that contains an arc attachment step or edge structured and arranged to seat an other end of the electrical arcs and stabilizing an arc length; a nozzle, having a convergent/divergent section with a throat therein between, downstream of the arc attachment step, wherein the geometry of the convergent/divergent section is such as to generate mach numbers in excess of 1; and one or more material feedstock injectors. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the electrical arc or arcs are of sufficient length to produce a high voltage potential in excess of 40 volts DC. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the electrical arc or arcs are of sufficient length to produce a high voltage potential in excess of 80 volts DC. 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the material feedstock injectors are adapted to provide powder that has a particle size range of about 5 μm or greater. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the material feedstock injectors are adapted to provide powder that has a particle size range of about 30 μm to 75 μm. 18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the material feedstock injectors are adapted to provide a liquid-based feedstock. 19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the material feedstock injectors are adapted to provide a liquid bearing suspended particulates in the range of about 1 μm to 75 μm. 20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each cathode has its own source of electrical current. 21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said anode section is part of the nozzle. 22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said anode section is a separate section from the nozzle. 23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said material feedstock injector is located in the bore of the nozzle downstream of the throat. 24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said material feedstock injector is located at the exit of the nozzle. 25. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the electrical arcs comprise at least three distinct arcs used for ionizing and heating the process gas. 26. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the arc attachment step is disposed within the nozzle. 27. A hybrid plasma/cold spray systems, comprising: (a) a gun comprising one or more cathodes used as emitters for generating electrical arcs; a section of bore that can support the partial passage of an electric current during ignition to lengthen the arc and increase the voltage; an anode section that contains an arc attachment step or edge structured and arranged to seat an other end of the electrical arcs; a nozzle, having a convergent/divergent section and a throat, downstream of the arc attachment step, wherein the geometry of the convergent/divergent section is such as to generate mach numbers in excess of 1; and one or more material feedstock injectors; and (b) a gas consisting of one of air, argon, nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, oxygen, and any combination thereof for passing across said cathodes, wherein said gas is ionized by passing across said cathode to form ionized plasma gas, and said ionized plasma gas is accelerated to supersonic velocities, and wherein material feed stock is injected into the resulting high velocity ionized plasma and propelled toward a substrate. 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the propelled material feedstock impacts the substrate to form a coating with compressive stress. 29. The system of claim 27 wherein the electrical arcs comprise at least three distinct arcs are used for ionizing and heating the process gas. 30. The system of claim 27, wherein the arc attachment step is formed within the nozzle.