Cold spray material deposition differs significantly from other thermal spray systems in that the cold spray process does not melt particles, particle velocities are very high, and the gas/particle jet plume has a relatively low temperature. Cold spray can thus be applied to applications with heat-sensitive substrates or those applications that do not allow heat-modified deposits. The impact consolidation of high velocity, solid state, particles yield cold spray depositions with high strength, low porosity and minimal or compressive residual stress. This review will be useful to individuals new to cold spray, as well as to the cold spraying community and to product developers needing cold spray capability. The applications presented here can demonstrate capabilities that are of use to new and related uses. The descriptions of the equipment and techniques used to create the cold-sprayed deposits will be helpful to those individuals and firms seeking to produce products requiring similar characteristics.

Bacterial contamination on touch surfaces results in increased risk of infection. In the last few decades, work has been done on the antimicrobial properties of copper and its alloys against a range of micro-organisms threatening public health in food processing, healthcare and air conditioning applications; however, an optimum copper method of surface deposition and mass structure has not been identified.

Bacterial and viral contamination of contact surfaces increases the risk of infection. A great deal of work has been done on the capabilities of copper and its alloys to protect against a variety of microorganisms endangering public health, particularly in healthcare and food processing applications. This work has conclusively shown the effectiveness of copper for touch surface disinfection; however, the optimum microstructural characteristics of the copper surface have not been established. The sterilization effectiveness of three kinetically sprayed copper surfaces and two copper feedstocks were examined. The surfaces were inoculated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and influenza A virus. After a two-hour exposure to the surfaces, the surviving microorganisms were assayed, and the results contrasted. These tests showed substantial antimicrobial differences between the coatings generated by the spray techniques and those obtained by different feedstock powders. The significance of the copper spray application was demonstrated, and the application-dependent mechanism for antimicrobial effectiveness was explained.