Characteristics and performance of suspension plasma sprayed thermal barrier coatings on additively manufactured superalloy substrates

Abstract

The complex-shaped hot-section parts of new-generation turbine engines demand unique design solutions. Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an emergent production method that can produce metallic parts with complex geometries and minimal material wastage. In this work, the characteristics and performance behavior of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) deposited on forged and AM-built HAYNES®282® superalloy substrates were studied and compared. The bond coats were produced by High-Velocity Air-Fuel (HVAF) spraying using NiCoCrAlY powder feedstock and TBC top-coats by Suspension Plasma Spraying (SPS) using water- and ethanol-based suspensions of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ). The microstructural features, adhesion, Thermal Cycling Fatigue (TCF) lifetime, and thermal shock lifetimes of the TBCs were comprehensively investigated. The results showed that the deposition of bond coats reduced the roughness and asperities of the AM-built substrates. Depending on the type of suspension used and the spray parameters employed, the TBCs exhibited vertically cracked and columnar microstructures. However, no significant differences in TCF and thermal shock lifetimes of TBCs on AM and forged substrates were observed. It is demonstrated that TBC systems can be produced on AM-built metallic substrates, and the resulting TBCs can have similar microstructures and properties as TBCs deposited on conventional substrates.