New ceramic coating technique using laser spraying process

A new ceramic coating technique using a CO 2 laser has been developed. A high power density laser beam passes near the substrate. Coating materials are supplied by an extra-high accuracy powder supply device and pass across the laser beam. The coating materials are melted in the laser beam and deposited on the substrate surface. A YSZ (Yttria Stabilized Zirconia) layer and a LaCoO 3 layer are made for high temperature solid oxide fuel cells. The crystal structures of the coated layers are the same as that of the original coating materials. Superconducting BPSCCO ceramic films are also made with this process. The films show super-conductivity with T c at 81 K. The J c of the specimen is 440 A/cm 2 at 77 K. We can easily handle and arrange not only metal but also refractory materials. By adopting a multi-axis robot and a surface treatment laser technique, the laser spraying method described here makes it possible to produce highly functional and three dimensional parts of devices directly from raw powder materials. Thus the proposed method will open the path to an unexplored field of key production technology.