The continuous batch process coats complex shapes with specialized alloys. It can put an alloy coating on inexpensive metal substrates or make strong, lightweight composites from an alloy-reinforced mesh of tiny carbon fibers. Components then need little or no machining to achieve their finished shape. The process also minimizes the amount of specialty alloy needed and eliminates melting and casting specialty alloys. Still in development, the method was originally used with binary alloys that form solid solutions.
Further research is needed on applying the method to ternary alloys and intermetallics.
Argonne's research was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Materials Sciences Division.