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Since wear and corrosion of materials currently causes large losses of GDP, surface engineering is a critical technology that currently supports the competitiveness of industry globally. Major sectors such as energy, aerospace, automotive and tool industries, are heavily dependent on surface treatments. It is estimated that almost 80% of all these industrial applications depend on protective coatings. Although different coatings have been developed in recent years, two types dominate the field of protective coatings, Hard Chrome and Cermet WC-Co coatings. Both types of coatings have very good mechanical and tribological properties, however, the extremely negative environmental impact of the hard chrome process related to the use of carcinogenic hexavalent chromium has led to a series of directives and legislation in several countries on limiting this method. Additionally, recent studies have shown that WC-Co particles are toxic in a dose and time-dependent manner. This was the driver for developing an innovative technology based on the incorporation of nanoparticles into the electrolytic deposition or thermal spray production line to create green protective nano-reinforced multifunctional coatings. The innovative green solution presented here is accompanied by significant benefits beyond their excellent performance. In particular, the new processes can be easily adopted combining flexibility with mass production, being environmentally friendly and nonharmful to health, combining low implementation costs with green footprint both in terms of materials and processes. Moreover, the novel coatings are being characterized with different destructive and nondestructive techniques and their performance is being compared with traditional coatings.
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