Particles

Solidification texture on a garnet particle
Garnet free-flight particle
Dendritic structure on the surface of garnet particle that was melted in the plasma jet and resolidified during the flight. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Oxide shell from a steel free-flight particle
Oxide shell
Chromium steel particle oxidized during the flight in the plasma jet. The steel core was then dissolved to isolate the thin oxide shell. Part of the "Oxidation of Metallic Powders during Plasma Spraying" project. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Solidification texture on an alumina particle
Solidification texture on an alumina particle
Dendritic structure on the surface of a melted and resolidified particle. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Segregation in Ni+Al particles
Ni+Al free-flight particles
Composite particles made from 95%Ni+5%Al. Segregation into two phases occured during resolidification. The lighter phase has higher Ni content. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Dendrites in a Al2O3 splat
Al2O3 splat - detail
Detail of a Al2O3 splat shows solidification dendrites with multiple-level branching. Photo by Pavel Ctibor.

Dimples in a MgCaTiO3 splat
MgTiO3+CaTiO3 splat - detail
Detail of a MgTiO3+CaTiO3 shows numerous dimples created probably upon release of entrapped gas from the impinging droplet, and a network of cracks connecting the dimples. Part of the "Plasma Spraying of Titanates" project. Photo by Pavel Ctibor.

Cr2O3 splat
Chromia splat with a fine crack network created by quenching stress upon rapid cooling.

Cr2O3 splats - detail of crack structure
Detail of the previous image with cracks and surface relief. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Steel splat with edge liftoff

Liftoff of splat edges can be seen, probably resulting from inhomogeneous stress distribution after solidification. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Adjacent alumina splats
Alumina splat edges
Edges of three adjacent alumina splats. Rounded shape of the rim, interaction of two splats on contact and crack network in each can be seen. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Splashed NiCr splat
NiCr splat on glass surface, separated into numerous fine droplets upon impact. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Splashed Ni splat
Ni splat on glass surface, splashed upon impact into numerous finger-like projections. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

B4C splatsB4C splats on a polished stainless steel substrate; top - standard spraying condition, bottom - nitrogen shrouding. The splat obtained without shrouding is highly fragmented, while the one obtained with shrouding is circular and more contiguous (desired).
Part of the "Low-Z Coatings for Fusion Applications" project. Photo by Pavel Ctibor, 1999.

B4C splatsB4C splats on a polished stainless steel substrate; top - standard spraying condition, bottom - nitrogen shrouding. The splat obtained without shrouding is highly fragmented, while the one obtained with shrouding is circular and more contiguous (desired).
Part of the "Low-Z Coatings for Fusion Applications" project. Photo by Pavel Ctibor, 1999.

Al2O3 splats
Aluminia splats on glass
Examples of shapes of splats created by freefall of molten alumina droplets onto a glass substrate at different temperatures. Prepared at Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

Al2O3 splats
Aluminia splats on glass
Examples of shapes of splats created by freefall of molten alumina droplets onto a glass substrate at different temperatures. Prepared at Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

...and now some funny pictures...
Snowman
Alumina free-flight particles. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.

...and now some funny pictures...
Golf Club
Steatite free-flight particles. Photo by Blahoslav Kolman.