Advances in Corrosion-Resistant Thermal Spray Coatings for Renewable Energy Power Plants : Part II - Effect of Environment and Outlook

High-temperature corrosion of critical components such as water walls and superheater tubes in biomass/waste-fired boilers is a major challenge. A dense and defect-free thermal spray coating has been shown to be promising to achieve a high electrical/thermal efficiency in power plants. The field of thermal spraying and quality of coatings have been progressively evolving; therefore, a critical assessment of our understanding of the efficacy of coatings in increasingly aggressive operating environments of the power plants can be highly educative. The effects of composition and microstructure on high-temperature corrosion behavior of the coatings were discussed in the first part of the review. The present paper that is the second part of the review covers the emerging research field of performance assessment of thermal spray coatings in harsh corrosion-prone environments and provides a comprehensive overview of the underlying high-temperature corrosion mechanisms that lead to the damage of exposed coatings. The application of contemporary analytical methods for better understanding of the behavior of corrosion-resistant coatings is also discussed. A discussion based on an exhaustive review of the literature provides an unbiased commentary on the advanced accomplishments and some outstanding issues in the field that warrant further research. An assessment of the current status of the field, the gaps in the scientific understanding, and the research needs for the expansion of thermal spray coatings for high-temperature corrosion applications is also provided. © 2019, The Author(s)