Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is the preferred engineering material in a wide range of lightweight applications due to its low specific high stiffness and high specific strength. Despite these qualities, the CFRP composites lack the resistivity against high temperatures and abrasive wear which can lead to complete failure if exposed to such environments. In order to protect the CFRP from thermal and tribological loads and thereby make them suitable for new fields of application, it is crucial to apply a protective surface coating. One of the most promising ways to reliably apply performant metallic and/or ceramic coatings on CFRP components is the use of thermal spray processes. The precise process control beginning from the substrate activation through the burner kinematics up to the thermal management during the process as well as the customized layer system belong to the long-standing know-how of our institute.
