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SPRAYTODAY™ | iTSA FEATURE

8
Sustainable Development Goals and
Circularity In Thermal Spray Coating
Manufacturing and Value Chain
By Nadimul Haque Faisal, Anil Prathuru

School of Engineering, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK.

Email: n.h.faisal@rgu.ac.uk

Summary hydroxyapatite for tissue regeneration. The materials that


Thermally sprayed coating manufacturing utilizes a range can be deposited through thermal spray include pure
of feedstock materials to develop thick layers on high- metals, metallic alloys, ceramics, and a mix of ductile and
value solid and conformal structures which provide a brittle materials. During spraying, several variables and
wide range of qualities to components or parts. Due to the process parameters have a direct impact on coating
combination of environmental, economic, social, and properties, which can be quantified. The process of such
regulatory factors, there is compelling need for thermal coating deposition involves complex phenomena
spray coating manufacturers and those associated with occurring with overlapping timelines. The temporal
the value chain to embrace the United Nation’s evolution of overall coating formation constitutes splat
Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and circularity formation, cooling, and subsequent layer deposition
to stay competent in the international market. This could followed by cooling to room temperature post-deposition
lead to a significant increase in the demand for (Fig. 2). Such coatings are vital to improve the
sustainable and circular manufacturing practices, and performance of components and industrial products to
potential increase in business opportunities, market size maximise their life cycle.
and the economy. There is a need to understand the Value chain in thermal spray sector can be split into the
challenges and identify opportunities for circularity in following fields: materials and processes pre-spraying
thermal spray coating manufacturing and value chain. (materials mining, feedstock processing and their
manufacturing), during spraying (consumables, coating
Thermal spray coating manufacturing, equipment’s), post-spraying (coated part
Thermal spray is regarded as a key surface finishing and handling), during use or in-service
manufacturing technique that underpins the operations (coating degradation), and then the end-of-life
competitiveness of critical manufacturing and and circularity of coated parts. The materials and
engineering industries. Considering the global thermal manufacturing vision as well as the entire value chain
spray market size, it is expected to grow from USD 10.91 should be guided by sustainable development goals
billion in 2023 to USD 13.41 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of (SDGs) and circularity imperatives. Due to barriers within
4.22% (during 2023-2028) (Report Linker, April 2023). It is this sector, such as lack of understanding, skills,
widely used in engineering for aerospace, industrial gas experience, as well as training, resources, strategy,
turbine, automotive, medical, printing, oil & gas, steel, regulations, and environmental awareness on the part of
pulp & paper, others as well as other new applications [1- suppliers, clients, or end users, the circularity within the
2]. thermal spray value chain is currently at a nascent stage.
Various thermal spraying processes exist (e.g., air plasma
spray, cold spray, detonation spray, flame spray, electric Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and thermal
arc spray, high velocity oxy-fuel (Fig. 1), and more) [3] and spray sector
all are used to produce thick-film coatings to combat To bring prosperity, peace, and partnership to all people
surface degradation of engineering components or to on the planet by 2030, the United Nations enacted a set of
bring in functional features, for example wear resistance, 17 goals in 2015, called Sustainable Development Goals
catalysis, electromagnetic wave absorption or (SDGs), which have economic, social, and ecological
FEATURE SPRAYTODAY™ | iTSA
9

Figure 1: Various stages of thermal spraying

related to waste (e.g., EU's Waste Framework Directive,


2023 [4]). Overall, such directives require the
stakeholders and businesses to protect human health and
the environment, by reducing waste and its adverse
effects through efficient management.

Figure 2: Air plasma sprayed TiO2 coatings on mild steel,


showing splats and microcracks
Figure 3: Relevant SDGs appropriation for thermal
spray value chain
dimensions. Given the size of the thermal spray value
chain and market, it has an important role to play in Circularity opportunity
reaching relevant SDGs. Relevant SDGs could be SDG7 Competitiveness in thermal spray manufacturing is highly
(affordable and clean energy), SDG8 (decent work and dependent on the ability of such manufacturing sector to
economic growth), SDG9 (industry, innovation, and provide high-quality, innovative products through
infrastructure), SDG12 (responsible consumption and enhancing circularity, and facilitating decarbonization [5].
production), SDG13 (climate action), and SDG17 This would mean a range of modern tools need to be
(partnership for the goals) (Fig. 3). employed to achieve the systemic circularity of the
Like other manufacturing sectors, the thermal spray thermal spray sector. The transition to circular
sector could create a sustainable framework for the manufacturing requires a new mindset, resources, and
industry which could help meet its social responsibility expertise in the sector. All the technological
goals. There is very limited data, however, in certain improvements of the manufacturing process should
practices associated to thermal spray value chain, there always support the human aspect to uptake these
is overexploitation of resources, including creation of improvements through upskilling and reskilling of the
huge material waste. There is a need to provide manufacturing workforce. Currently, there is a skill gap
incentives of the SDGs to thermal spray value chain within professionals with knowledge of circular
stakeholders, including encouragement to transition to manufacturing processes. The workforce should be
circular economies (reuse, recycle, remanufacture, and engaged in the realization of circular approaches.
recover), and support various framework directives
SPRAYTODAY™ | iTSA FEATURE
10 Considering the future requirements of thermal spray methods such as atomisation, spray drying, and solid-
coating manufacturing, there is need to forecast the state reduction. All these processing methods require
environmental impact, quantify state of products after some level of energy to either melt the raw material or to
their use, develop simulation and modelling software or enable a chemical reaction process. Efforts should be put
build on existing solutions fostering new circular in place to achieve carbon neutrality in such feedstock
manufacturing capabilities with a view to be more manufacturing processes to reduce the overall carbon
efficient and more sustainable product design. There is a footprint. To understand the circularity of thermal spray
need to enable the manufacturers to implement the process and its overall carbon footprint, it is important
Digital Product Passport initiatives [6], and focus on that the background processes be accounted for too. One
gathering relevant data, material and product tracking possible way to implement the concept of circularity is to
and tracing, certification protocols for secure re-used evaluate how waste or by product material from other
materials and components among sectors. industries can be used in thermal spray. For example,
Efforts are necessary to consider recycling and reuse in copper waste from the electronics and electrical (WEE)
the thermal spray sector and to continue drawing the industries could be a possible source of copper feedstock
advantage of thermal spraying being a relatively green for electrically conductive coatings. In addition, low
technique. To achieve a circularity or circular economy of melting point metals such as zinc and aluminium can be
thermal spray coated products after use (i.e., end-of-life), recycled for reuse with minimal heat input. However, in
there is a need to start looking at value retention such cases, particle oxidation in the spray plume is a
processes [7]. This includes practices such as choosing potential hurdle.
repair and overhaul (where possible) over buying new or Overspray is seen extensively in most thermal spray
purchasing remanufactured equipment as opposed to shops. The general operational philosophy of such
new. It is not new, but thermal spray industries have been facilities is the collection of the overspray dust to be
using the practice of rebuilding and remanufacturing for either sent to a landfill or selling to a waste buyer who
reuse or recycling (either through removing damaged separates the individual powder materials and
materials via machining or rebuilding the surface of reprocesses them to be resold. Understanding the cost
coated components through mix of thermal spray benefit of recycling instead of discarding into a possible
techniques, through using heat, depending upon the landfill provides the basis for formulating the business
metallurgical properties of the coating and structural case of introducing circularity in thermal spray
part material). The key advantage of such manufacturing value chain. Classifying the materials
remanufacturing are its cost-effectiveness and a process according to the ease of recycling is one way of
that can be done multiple times [8], and importantly it is understanding and creating a circularity framework. For
an accepted practice as the sector has been able to instance, being able to collect the overspray dust in
achieve original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) separate bins according to the material type makes it
specification through remanufacturing [9]. However, some easier for the buyer to recycle the waste material at a
aspects of reuse and recycling are currently not possible later stage. This could also increase the sale value of the
in thermal spray industry (e.g., reusing coating materials dust and could present a cost recovery opportunity to the
which are removed from the coated parts). As an thermal spray manufacturer. Creating an implementation
example, thermally sprayed thermal barrier coatings plan around the product life cycle, not just of the coated
(TBC’s) could be removed using techniques such as grit product but also the feedstock could be an effective way
blasting, chemical stripping (autoclaving, aqueous of reducing waste while increasing the overall cost
stripping), water jet (abrasive, non-abrasive), and laser return.
ablation. With varied degree of removal efficiencies, all One excellent demonstrator of the reuse of thermally
these coating processes are useful only to remove the sprayed feedstock overspray dust is the LIFE ReTSW-SINT
coatings, but these does not help in recovering the project [10] funded by the European Commission (EC). The
removed materials. It would be quiet a cumbersome and objective of the project was to establish the processing
costly process (with very low yield) to recover the useful methods to use thermal spray waste in other industries.
part of the removed coatings, as the removed mass The project was able to successfully demonstrate the
would have contaminants, rusts, stains, and high toxicity, reuse of nickel metal powders in creating sintered
which can be a less attractive offer for many businesses. products using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method.
Thermal spray processing generally requires feedstock in In addition, the project also established the process of
the form of fine powders. These powders are made using incorporating YSZ waste powder into ceramic frits and
FEATURE SPRAYTODAY™ | iTSA

tiles. This project also demonstrated the critical aspect of 3. Boulos, M. I., Fauchais, P. L., Heberlein, J. V. R., Thermal
11
environmental safety consideration while developing a Spray Fundamentals – From Powder to Part, Ed. 2, 2021,
recycling process. Given that most of the materials of Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70672-2c
commercial interest used in thermal spray are 4. EU's Waste Framework Directive, 2023;
hazardous, it is critical that the reuse process isolates https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-
these materials and reduces their interaction with the recycling/waste-framework-directive_en
environment. Most ceramics exhibit leaching behaviour 5. Viswanathan, V., Katiyar, N. K., Goel, G., Matthews, A.,
where the constituent metals are slowly released into the Goel, S. Role of Thermal Spray in Combating Climate
environment creating environmental contamination. Change, Emergent Materials, 4, 1515–1529, 2021.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s42247-021-00307-1
Concluding remarks 6. Boston Consulting Group, The EU Digital Product
Since the invention of the thermal spray process by Dr.
Passport shapes the future of value chains: What it is
Max Ulrick Schoop of Zurich in 1911, a lot has changed in
and how to prepare now, 2022.
the sector. Thermal spray market is experiencing
https://www.wbcsd.org/contentwbc/download/15584/22
significant growth as the sector is seeking advanced
6479/1
coating solutions to enhance the performance and
7. Thermal Spray – A Sustainable Technology, Flame
longevity of coated parts, including emergence of new
ways to deposit coatings and applications. Quality and Spray Technologies;
affordable thermal spray products will be the future https://www.fst.nl/sustainability.html#:~:text=A%20great
growth opportunities in coming decades. There is a need %20example%20of%20circular,by%20repairing%20dama
to drive low-carbon processes in thermal spray coating ged%20machine%20parts (accessed May 2024)
manufacturing and value chain through efficient resource 8. Circular Economy and Thermal Spray: What You Need to
utilisation, enhanced performance, and waste Know, HTS Coatings; https://htscoatings.com/blogs/our-
minimisation, strategically address critical (social, craft-our-culture/circular-economy (accessed May
economic, environmental) needs sustainably, develop 2024)
global centre of excellence and achieve high quality, 9. What exactly is the circular economy and what role can
multidisciplinary research, engage (co-create/co-deliver) surface engineering play?, Surface Technology;
with partners, and create opportunities for staff and end https://www.surfacetechnology.co.uk/exactly-circular-
user skill development, and embed equality, diversity, and economy-role-can-surface-engineering-play/
inclusion (EDI) within the sector through specific action (accessed May 2024)
plans. There is a need of new entrants (entrepreneurs) in 10. LIFE ReTSW-SINT: Recycling of thermal spray waste in
thermal spray value chain who can focus on the sintered products (reference no., LIFE12 ENV/IT/000678),
deployment of next generation technology solutions at 2013-16.
scale to meet short and medium-term targets, including
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project
meeting sustainable development goals and transition to
/LIFE12-ENV-IT-000678/recycling-of-thermal-spray-
circular economies. Such strategies could also help
waste-in-sintered-products
improve loyalty of the buyer and influence the brand.

References

1. Faisal et al., Thermal Spray Coatings for


Electromagnetic Wave Absorption and Interference
Shielding: A Review and Future Challenges, Advanced To contribute an article, advertisement,
Engineering Materials, 24(7), 2200171, 2022.
subscription request, back issue copies, and
https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202200171
2. Faisal et al., Application of Thermal Spray Coatings in changes of address should be sent to:
Electrolysers for Hydrogen Production: Advances, spraytoday@inscience.in
Challenges, and Opportunities, ChemNanoMat, 8(12),
e202200384, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1002/cnma.202200384

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