The different variables of the aluminium anodisation process, anodisation time, current density, electrolyte nature, its temperature and concentration, and the effect of agitation, and their effects on the final alumina textural properties have been studied. Characterisation of the alumina generated by anodisation has been carried out by N₂ adsorption, SEM and gravimetry. It has been observed that the texture of the coating depends on two main processes taking place during aluminium anodisation: alumina generation and its dissolution. The proper combination of both processes, given by the choice of the different process variables, will produce an adherent alumina layer with excellent properties to produce catalytic devices based on alumina on aluminium monoliths.

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are functional materials that are being applied in practically all industries, from aerospace to biomedical sectors, and at present the scientific and technologic communities are looking to gain the advantages offered by the new processing technologies of additive manufacturing (AM). However, the use of AM to produce functional materials, like SMAs, constitutes a real challenge due to the particularly well controlled microstructure required to exhibit the functional property of shape memory. In the present work, the design of the complete AM processing route, from powder atomization to laser powder bed fusion for AM and hot isostatic pressing (HIP), is approached for Cu–Al–Ni SMAs. The microstructure of the different processing states is characterized in relationship with the processing parameters. The thermal martensitic transformation, responsible for the functional properties, is analyzed in a comparative way for each one of the different processed samples. The present results demonstrate that a final post–processing thermal treatment to control the microstructure is crucial to obtain the expected functional properties. Finally, it is demonstrated that using the designed processing route of laser powder bed fusion followed by a post–processing HIP and a final specific thermal treatment, a satisfactory shape memory behavior can be obtained in Cu–Al–Ni SMAs, paving the road for further applications.