Evaluation of Adhesive Strengths of Plasma-Sprayed CoNiCrAlY Coatings Using an Indentation Method

Abstract

Thermal barrier coating (TBC) on the element for high temperature service, such as a gas turbine blade, has become an indispensable technology. In this study, adhesive strengths of plasmasprayed CoNiCrAlY coatings were examined using an indentation method. In order to examine the effects of the spraying process on the adhesive strength of a sprayed coating, coatings were deposited by both atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and low pressure plasma spraying (LPPS). The half number of CoNiCrAlY(LPPS) specimens were thermally aged for diffusion treatment. The load-displacement curves during the indentation were measured, and the delamination energy per unit area of delamination was estimated. The delamination load was high when the distance from an edge of a specimen was long, however the energy per unit delamination area was almost independent of the distance from the edge and was uniquely determined. The delamination energy of CoNiCrAlY(APS) and CoNiCrAlY(LPPS) coatings were found to be approximately the same. The delamination energy of CoNiCrAlY(LPPS) with diffusion thermal treatment was widely scattered as compared with foregoing two coatings, however the energy of the CoNiCrAlY(LPPS) coating with diffusion thermal treatment was found to be about three times higher than those of both CoNiCrAlY(APS) and CoNiCrAlY(LPPS) coatings. It was concluded that diffusion thermal treatment was effective in improving the delamination strength. The CoNiCrAlY(LPPS) coating with diffusion thermal treatment was also found to be effective in improving the fatigue fracture life of a thermal-barrier-coated material.