Multi-layered environmental barrier coatings designed on basis of YbTaO4-Ta2O5 composites for protecting SiCf/SiC composites

Abstract

YbTaO4-Ta2O5 composites were designed and different multi-layered YbTaO4-Ta2O5/Yb2Si2O7/Si (YbT-T/YbDS/Si) as well as YbTaO4-Ta2O5/Si (YbT-T/Si) environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) were put forward to protect SiC fiber reinforced silicon carbide (SiCf/SiC) ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). The thermal cycling and the water-vapor/oxygen corrosion behavior of different multi-layered EBCs were compared. Results indicated that the thermal cycling lifetime of the bi-layered YbT-T/Si EBCs was similar with the tri-layered YbT-T/YbDS/Si ones. The ultimate failure of these two EBCs was induced by the cracking of the SiCf/SiC substrates as well as the vertical cracks associated with the thermal mismatch stress among different layers. However, the tri-layered EBCs exhibited greater resistance to water-vapor/oxygen corrosion than the bi-layered ones, primarily due to that the tri-layered YbT-T/YbDS/Si EBCs contained significantly less cracks than the bi-layered ones, limiting the transport of reactant (oxygen and/or water vapor) to reach Si bond coat.