Book excerpt: This extensively updated and revised version builds on the success of the first edition featuring new discoveries in powder technology, spraying techniques, new coatings applications and testing techniques for coatings -- Many new spray techniques are considered that did not exist when the first edition was published! The book begins with coverage of materials used, pre-spray treatment, and the techniques used. It then leads into the physics and chemistry of spraying and discusses coatings build-up. Characterization methods and the properties of the applied coatings are presented, and the book concludes with a lengthy chapters on thermal spray applications covers such areas as the aeronautics and space, automobiles, ceramics, chemicals, civil engineering, decorative coatings, electronics, energy generation and transport, iron and steel, medicine, mining and the nuclear industries.