Metal matrix composite coatings obtained by electrodeposition are one of the ways of improving the surfaces of materials to enhance their durability and properties required in different applications. This paper presents an analysis of the surface topography, microstructure and properties (residual stresses, microhardness, wear resistance) of Ni/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite coatings electrodeposited on steel substrates from modified Watt’s-type baths containing various concentrations of Al₂O₃ nanoparticles and a saccharin additive. The residual stresses measured in the Ni/Al₂O₃ coatings decreased with an increasing amount of the co-deposited ceramics. It was established that the addition of Al₂O₃ powder significantly improved the coatings’ microhardness. The wear mechanism changed from adhesive-abrasive to abrasive with a rising amount of Al₂O₃ particles and coating microhardness. Nanocomposite coatings also exhibited a lower coefficient of friction than that of a pure Ni-electrodeposited coating. The friction was found to depend on the surface roughness, and the smoother surfaces gave lower friction coefficients.

Air plasma spraying (APS) is a common method of producing hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings for alloprosthetic implants. Modification of HA spraying potentially may diminish the risk of inflammation and local infection during bone implantation. Titanium implants were HA coated with different deposition process parameters. HA powder was deposited using APS with axial powder injection at three different distances (100, 120, and 140 mm). The surface morphology of each implant was examined and the direct contact cytotoxicity of each HA coating was evaluated according to norm ISO 10993 5:2009. The response of monocytes to HA was assessed via the activation of transcription nuclear factor. All coatings had a lamellar structure. HA sprayed at a distance of 120 mm showed the highest roughness and little phase change. The analysis of the results of the conducted research showed that plasma-spraying distance during the HA coating process had a negligible impact on biocompatibility. The results obtained for a distance of 120 mm showed a slight increase in the biological properties tested. Moreover, HA coatings sprayed at different distances were not cytotoxic and did not stimulate the NF-kB. Bare titanium was less susceptible to colonization by Staphylococcus aureus than HA-coated surfaces. HA constitutes a potentially good, low-cost, non-cytotoxic material for joint prostheses.

Currently, the most common way of managing cultural heritage in a sustainable manner takes the form of cultural routes. The phenomenon of cultural routes mainly results from their innovative organisation, different from the previously adopted institutionalised and formalised heritage management structure that did not align with the contemporary discourse around cultural heritage, which currently constitutes one of the bases of sustainable development. The novel idea focuses on the active involvement of many diverse entities in heritage management: not only public sector organisations with their statutory appointment for this purpose, but, first and foremost, entrepreneurs who create heritage products, tourists visiting sites on the route, or people who create this heritage. Thus, the cultural route acquires the characteristics of a network-points (nodes) that are shaped depending on the needs of the region and its inhabitants, their knowledge, experience, current ideas about a given place, and the way in which specific communities would like to be perceived. The undertaken research problem explores what features cultural route networks have and how they are managed, as well as what values, including trust, are manifested in the mutual relations of route-related entities. An original concept of shaping trust within the network of cultural routes has also been proposed based on the research results.

In this research, the cold spray process as an additive manufacturing method was applied to deposit thick titanium coatings onto 7075 aluminium alloy. An analysis of changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties of the coatings depending on the standoff distance was carried out to obtain the maximum deposition efficiency. The process parameters were selected in such a way as to ensure the spraying of irregular titanium powder at the highest velocity and temperature and changing the standoff distance from 20 to 100 mm. Experimental studies demonstrated that the standoff distance had a significant effect on the microstructure of the coatings and their adhesion. Moreover, its rise significantly increased the deposition efficiency. The standoff distance also significantly affected the coating microstructure and their adhesion to the substrate, but did not cause any changes in their phase composition. The standoff distance also influenced the coating porosity, which first decreased to a minimum level of 0.2% and then increased significantly to 9.8%. At the same time, the hardness of the coatings increased by 30%. Numerical simulations confirmed the results of the tests.

The effect of ternary alloying elements (Mo and Ta) on the mechanical and superelastic properties of binary Ti-14Nb alloy fabricated by the mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering was investigated. The materials were prepared in two ways: (i) by substituting Nb in base Ti-14Nb alloy by 2 at.% of the ternary addition, giving the following compositions: Ti-8Nb-2Mo and Ti-12Nb-2Ta and (ii) by adding 2 at.% of the ternary element to the base alloy. The microstructures of the materials consisted of the equiaxed β-grains and fine precipitations of TiC. The substitution of Nb by both Mo and Ta did not significantly affect the mechanical properties of the base Ti-14Nb alloy, however, their addition resulted in a decrease of yield strength and increase of plasticity. This was associated with the occurrence of the {332} twinning that was found during the in-situ observations. The elevated concentration of interstitial elements (oxygen and carbon) lead to the occurrence of stress-induced martensitic transformation and twinning mechanisms at lower concentration of β-stabilizers in comparison to the conventionally fabricated materials. The substitution of Nb by Mo, and Ta caused the slight improvement of the superelastic properties of the base Ti-14Nb alloy, whereas their addition deteriorated the superelasticity.