Patent ID: 8389126

Claim:
A structural component, comprising: a metal base substrate; a chemically graded and partially crystallized coating layer disposed on the metal substrate, the chemically graded coating layer having a first surface in contact with the base substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the chemically graded coating layer having and a negative hardness gradient profile, with the hardness increasing from the second surface to the first surface, wherein the chemically graded and partially crystallized coating layer has a thickness of at least 100 microns, an adhesion bond strength to the metal substrate of at least 5000 psi, and a composition gradiently changes from the second surface to the first surface; and wherein the chemically graded and partially crystallized coating layer is formed by treating an amorphous coating layer with an energy source of 10 4 to 10 6 W/cm 2 to devitrify the amorphous coating layer and for at least a portion of the amorphous coating layer and at least a portion of the base substrate to fuse together, forming the chemically graded coating layer.