On the use of Fluidised Bed Coating (FBC) to deposit thin Al2O3 films onto metal substrates

Fluidised Bed Coating (FBC) is a viable and low-cost technique to apply, at ambient temperature, thin adherent ceramic coatings onto metal and non metal substrates. Al2O3 films, by virtue of its special thermo-mechanical, chemical, electrical and optical properties, belong to a class of ceramic coatings of particular interest in several manufacturing processes. In this respect, the present paper reviews selected applications in manufacturing of Al2O3 coated aluminium substrates. In particular, the use of fluidised bed deposited thin Al2O3 films has been reported as surface overlay coatings to improve the fatigue behaviour of aluminium components, as absorption and thermal barrier coatings in sheet laser forming and, finally, as anti-wear protective coatings.