YSZ Coatings Research Articles

Microstructural Evolution and Sintering Behavior of Supersonic Atmospheric Plasma Sprayed Multi-modal YSZ Coating

Microstructural Evolution and Sintering Behavior of Supersonic Atmospheric Plasma Sprayed Multi-modal YSZ Coating

High-Speed Laser Patterning of YSZ Ceramic Substrates for Plasma Spraying: Microstructure Manipulation and Adhesion of YSZ Coatings

High-Speed Laser Patterning of YSZ Ceramic Substrates for Plasma Spraying: Microstructure Manipulation and Adhesion of YSZ Coatings

Anti-Sintering Behavior of GYYSZ, Thermophysical Properties, and Thermal Shock Behavior of Thermal Barrier Coating with YSZ/Composite/GYYSZ System by Atmospheric Plasma Spraying.

In this study, Gd2O3 and Yb2O3 co-doped YSZ (GYYSZ) ceramic coatings were prepared via atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The GYYSZ ceramic coatings were subjected to heat treatment at different temperatures for 5 h to analyze their high-temperature phase stability and sintering resistance. The thermophysical properties of GYYSZ, YSZ, and composite coatings were compared. Three types of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) were designed: GYYSZ (TBC-1), YSZ/GYYSZ (TBC-2), and YSZ/Composite/GYYSZ (TBC-3). The failure mechanisms of these three TBCs were investigated. The results indicate that both the powder and the sprayed GYYSZ primarily maintain a homogeneous cubic phase c-ZrO2, remaining stable at 1500 °C after annealing. The sintering and densification of the coatings are influenced by the annealing temperature; higher temperatures lead to faster sintering rates. At 1500 °C, the grain size and porosity of GYYSZ are 4.66 μm and 9.9%, respectively. At 1000 °C, the thermal conductivity of GYYSZ is 1.35 W·m-1 K-1, which is 44% lower than that of YSZ. The thermal conductivity of the composite material remains between 1.79 W·m-1 K-1 and 1.99 W·m-1 K-1 from room temperature to 1000 °C, positioned between GYYSZ and YSZ. In the TBC thermal shock water quenching experiment, TBC-3 demonstrated an exceptionally long thermal shock lifetime of 246.3 cycles, which is 5.8 times that of TBC-1 and 1.8 times that of TBC-2. The gradient coating structure effectively reduces the thermal mismatch stress between layers, while the dense surface microcracks provide a certain toughening effect. Failure analysis of the TBC reveals that TBC-3 exhibits a mixed failure mode characterized by both spallation and localized peeling. The ultimate failure was attributed to the propagation of transverse cracks during the final stage of water quenching, which led to the eventual spallation of the ceramic blocks.

High‐temperature thermal conductivity measurement of porous ceramic coatings with a high heat flux CO2 laser rig

AbstractYttrium‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) plays a crucial role in thermal barrier coatings widely used to protect metallic components in gas turbine engines against high‐temperature combustion product gases and harsh environments. The thermal conductivity of these coatings is a critical parameter influencing the gas turbine design, performance, and service life. In this study, a laser temperature gradient method is utilized to measure the thermal conductivity of porous YSZ coatings. The method employs specialized laser energy delivery to create a one‐dimensional temperature gradient through the sample thickness, closely simulating the operational condition. This approach provides an effective, direct means to determine the thermal conductivity of high‐temperature heat‐resistant porous ceramic materials.

Investigating Hot corrosion, CMAS, and Thermal Shock Behaviour of Double-layer YSZ/La2Ce2O7 + YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings

AbstractIn this work, new double-layer YSZ/La2Ce2O7 (LC) + YSZ coatings were developed using air plasma spraying (APS). The surface of the prepared coatings was relatively smooth and consisted of melted and partially melted areas. Their resistance to hot corrosion, CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS), and thermal shock were examined. YSZ was added to the upper layer to enhance the lanthanum cerate (La2Ce2O7, LC) properties. During the hot corrosion tests, the corrosion salt reacted with the upper layer, and the CeO2 phase and new corrosion products were identified. The main phase was LaVO4, and the secondary phases were CeVO4 and YVO4. SEM confirmed the formation of new, cuboidal-shaped corrosion products. The infiltration of CMAS led to the formation of additional new products: Ca4MgxAl4Si(6-x-γ)O14 and Ca2.8(LaxCe1-x).6(SiO4)O6-4x. SEM revealed CMAS infiltration through the upper layer in the form of islands. Following the thermal shock resistance tests, the upper layer gradually peeled off, and the coating survived 67 cycles. Possible failure mechanisms were identified, and failure was attributed to the spallation of the upper layer from the surface layer by layer. After all tests, the top layer showed partial spalling and delamination. This was mainly caused by the reaction of corrosive salt or CMAS with the top layer, which changed its composition, leading to the formation and propagation of cracks and, ultimately, the separation of part of the upper layer. Peeling of the upper layer through mainly horizontal cracks was observed after hot corrosion, CMAS and thermal shocks. The NiCrAlY bond coat and YSZ interlayer remained undamaged.

Comparative Study on Tribological Behavior of Plasma-Sprayed YSZ Coatings Deposited with Different Powders

Comparative Study on Tribological Behavior of Plasma-Sprayed YSZ Coatings Deposited with Different Powders

Treelike PS-PVD coating: Hierarchical branching by shading and sintering

A structure zone model (SZM) with columnar structures for conventional physical vapor deposition (PVD) has been assigned to plasma spray-physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD) coatings. However, many different comprehensive properties between PS-PVD and conventional PVD coatings reveal the essential different microstructures. In this work, an impact-diffusion model was established based on the impact and diffusion behavior of depositing units. The microstructure formation of PS-PVD coatings was simulated. Results clearly display that the PS-PVD coating shows a novel treelike structure with hierarchical branches rather than a well-known columnar structure. The hierarchical branching is determined by the shadowing effect. Besides, temperature-promoting diffusion of vapor units can generate the in-situ sintering of the coatings. In-situ sintering happens during the deposition process and can govern the branching behavior. A novel treelike SZM is established as an enlargement of the conventional one, marked by successive transformations in branching and densifying. The treelike SZM is experimentally proved by the electron microscopy images and mechanical properties of typical PS-PVD YSZ coatings.

Effect of Porosity on Abradability of YSZ Coatings

Effect of Porosity on Abradability of YSZ Coatings

CMAS corrosion characteristics of YSZ and Al2O3-YSZ thermal barrier coatings at 1250 °C–1350 °C

The calcium-magnesium-aluminum-silicate (CMAS) corrosion is now a great threat to thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), inducing coating spallation readily. The CMAS corrosion characteristics of both 7YSZ and 20 wt.%Al2O3-YSZ TBCs at a broad temperature range of 1250 °C to 1350 °C were investigated. 7YSZ coatings were completely degraded by CMAS at 1250 °C while the increased corrosion temperatures induced more serious destruction. This is due to that the viscosity of CMAS melt significantly decreased with corrosion temperature increasing, promoting melt fluidity and infiltration. The Al2O3-YSZ composite TBCs demonstrated superior resistance to CMAS corrosion at 1250°C-1350 °C. The intensive chemical reactions between Al2O3 and CMAS melt promoted the formation of anorthite products with either short rod-shaped or blocky morphologies. These products closely interconnected and stacked up to generate a dense layer, physically blocking CMAS melt infiltration and effectively improving the anti-CMAS corrosion properties of TBCs at higher temperatures. Furthermore, the corrosion temperatures critically influenced anorthite formation and present morphologies.

Optimization of Thickness of YSZ Coating on an Aluminium Piston in I.C. Engines Using a Genetic Algorithm Approach

Optimization of Thickness of YSZ Coating on an Aluminium Piston in I.C. Engines Using a Genetic Algorithm Approach

Influence of Yttria content in YSZ: An evaluation of water-based SPS coatings and spark plasma sintered pellets

The inherent phase instability of the state-of-the-art 7–8 mol% partially stabilised Yttria-Stabilised Zirconia (YO1.5, 8 YSZ, tetragonal) under a molten CMAS attack lacks the technological readiness needed to increase the gas inlet temperatures for more thermally efficient gas turbine engines. In this study, the concentration of Yttria in YSZ was systemically increased to impart CMAS resistance and their applicability via emerging Suspension Plasma Sprayed (SPS) coatings and Spark Plasma Sintered (SpPS) pellets under simulated conditions was evaluated. The fully stabilised higher Yttria YSZ compositions (21.4 mol% and 50.2 mol%, cubic) severely restricted the CMAS infiltration and interaction areas, with the later composition forming an apatite layer and the trans-granular cracking and chipping of YSZ into layers reduced with an increase in Yttria content. However, their application into water-based SPS coatings resulted in a complete coating failure following the high-temperature CMAS tests. During Furnace Cycling Test (FCT) tests, the 8 YSZ coating survived 34 thermal cycles compared to just one on the 50.2 mol% YSZ coatings. The premature delamination of the higher Yttria coating seems to have been caused by the spallation associated with horizontal cracks within the coating. The YSZ composition could be modified into CMAS-resistant chemistry; however, their applicability as a functioning TBC with inherent microstructural features, such as the Dense Vertically Cracked (DVC) coating strategy examined in this study, requires new coating design strategies that impart sustainable thermal cycling performance.

Wetting kinetics and corrosion of CMAS and CMAS-NaCl to plasma-sprayed YSZ and Al2O3-YSZ thermal barrier coatings

Transient wetting and corrosion behavior of CMAS and CMAS-NaCl on 7YSZ and Al2O3-YSZ TBCs were investigated at 1250 ℃. NaCl addition decreased the melting point and viscosity of CMAS while improving the dynamic wettability during melt spreading. This intensified melt interactions with TBCs, facilitating CMAS infiltration and coating degradation. The Al2O3 addition to coatings promoted interfacial reactions between glassy melts and TBCs, generating anorthite products. Such reactive wetting decreased spreading velocity and increased contact angles of glassy melts at early interaction stages, but the densely stacked anorthite layer mitigated CMAS and CMAS-NaCl attacks for a longer duration of 10 h.

Plasma-sprayed bulk-like yttria-stabilized zirconia coatings for solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes based on liquid-phase sintering-induced interfacial healing

To achieve a coating density meeting the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolyte requirements of high gas tightness and ionic conductivity, in this study, a new interface healing densification process based on a liquid-phase sintering induction mechanism was conducted on plasma-sprayed 8 mol% Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (8YSZ) coatings. Using Fe2O3 and Bi2O3 as healing additives, metallurgical healing of unbound interfaces was achieved by impregnating the additives into the gap interfaces, followed by liquid-phase sintering at 1200 and 1050 °C. After healing, the YSZ coating exhibited a dense bulk-like microstructure with a significant reduction in the gas leakage rate by two orders of magnitude, and the oxygen ion conductivity of the coating was significantly increased. The YSZ coating healed with the Fe2O3 additive showed an oxygen ionic conductivity nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of the as-sprayed coating, reaching more than 80% of the value of the high-temperature-sintered YSZ bulk.

Impact of interfacial texture on failure behaviour of 8YSZ thermal barrier coatings under thermal cyclic loading

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) provide thermal protection for high-temperature components of aero-engines and steam turbines, but are susceptible to failure under thermal cyclic loads. The effective design of interfacial texture is one of the approaches to enhance the lifetime of ceramic TBCs. In this study, four types of interfacial textures were designed on the surface of substrates, and 8YSZ coatings of equal thickness were prepared using atmospheric plasma spraying, and thermal cycling tests were carried out. Meanwhile, the thermal cycle lifetime, microstructure evolution, residual stress, and energy release rate criterion were also studied. The optimal morphology and parameters of the texture are determined. It is found that the lifetime of the concave trapezoidal texture is the longest, with a deflection angle of 67°, diameter of 700 μm, depth of 500 μm, and spacing of 5 mm. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the interfacial texture design of ceramic TBCs.

Preparation and high-temperature performance of Sc2O3–Y2O3 co-stabilized ZrO2 thermal barrier coatings

As a promising material for the advanced thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), scandium oxide (Sc2O3) and yttrium oxide (Y2O3) co-stabilized zirconia (ScYSZ) has been given increasing attention during the past decade. In this study, three types of TBCs including YSZ, ScYSZ and ScYSZ-YSZ double ceramic layer (DCL) coatings were deposited by a wide-velocity range high-energy plasma spraying technology. The thermal physical property, phase stability and thermal cycling performance of TBCs were comparatively studied. The results suggested that the thermal conductivity from 200 °C to 1000 °C of ScYSZ coating was reduced by approximately 30 % compared to the YSZ coating. After exposure at 1400 °C for 1000 h, the ScYSZ coating still kept the initial tetragonal phase structure, while the tetragonal phase was completely disappeared in the YSZ coating after 300 h at 1400 °C. Notably, the ScYSZ-YSZ DCL coating demonstrated the highest thermal cycling life within the temperature range of 1320∼1370 °C, exhibiting a remarkable 43 % increase over the single ScYSZ coating and doubling that of the single YSZ coating. The outcomes of this study hold significant promise for practical applications in the realm of high-performance TBCs.

An Investigation on Volcanic Ash Infiltration Resistance of Plasma-Sprayed Indigenous Yb2Zr2O7 and Conventional YSZ Coatings at Elevated Temperatures

An Investigation on Volcanic Ash Infiltration Resistance of Plasma-Sprayed Indigenous Yb2Zr2O7 and Conventional YSZ Coatings at Elevated Temperatures

Theoretical Evaluation of YSZ and Alumina-YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings in a Hydrogen Enriched Combustion Environment

Abstract Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ((ZrO2)0.93(Y2O3)0.07) and alumina-yttria-stabilized zirconia ((Al2O3)0.853 + (ZrO2)0.93(Y2O3)0.07) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) were modeled in the presence of hydrogen-enriched combustion product gases to evaluate phase composition and thermal expansivity (coefficient of thermal expansion). Thermal equilibrium simulations for various equivalence ratios (0.5–0.75) and hydrogen enrichment percentages (0−50%) were conducted to determine the product gas composition for various combustor operating conditions. The obtained product gases were then used in a second thermal equilibrium simulation to demonstrate their effect on the defined thermal barrier coatings. The modeling predictions showed that hydrogen enrichment percentage and equivalence ratio were positively correlated to thermal expansivity for both the thermal barrier coatings examined. The alumina-YSZ composite coating exhibited a higher CTE, more closely matching the CTE of a metallic bond coat, for the studied conditions. This closer match of thermal expansivity results in less significant thermal stresses than the YSZ thermal barrier coating. An increase in hydrogen enrichment percentage and equivalence ratio yielded increased percentages of phase transitions from tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO2) to cubic zirconia (c-ZrO2). The YSZ thermal barrier coating had a larger percentage of phase transitions throughout the operating range examined, which renders concerns for potential failure from thermal cycling and creep. Theoretical examination of the phase composition and thermal expansivity provided further insights into the fate and behavior of the thermal barrier coatings.

Mechanical and Electrochemical Behavior of CNT-Reinforced YSZ Coating

Mechanical and Electrochemical Behavior of CNT-Reinforced YSZ Coating

Effect of feedstock powder size on the microstructure and thermal conductivity of quasi-eutectic LaYbZr2O7 TBCs

The effect of average feedstock powder size on the evolution of microstructure and thermal conductivity are comprehensively analyzed. It was found that the porosity and thermal conductivity of the LaYbZr2O7 coatings were positively correlated with the average powder size. The conventional notion that higher porosity results in lower thermal conductivity is challenged by the above results. The abnormal porosity and thermal conductivity relationship can be ascribed to the density of horizontal cracks which dominates the thermal conductivity reduction. Reducing the average powder size leads to a greater concentration of horizontal cracks and hence reduced thermal conductivity. Moreover, the LaYbZr2O7 coatings not only show significantly lower initial thermal conductivity of under 0.70 W m−1 K−1, but also exhibit stronger sintering resistance in terms of porosity stability and thermal insulation ability compared to the conventional YSZ coatings. The present work affords a new insight in developing advanced thermal barrier coatings with ultralow thermal conductivity.

High-Temperature Oxidation Resistance and Molten Salt Corrosion Study of YSZ, CeYSZ, and YSZ/CeYSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings by Atmospheric Plasma Spraying

Five thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), namely TBC-1 (YSZ), TBC-2 (CeYSZ), TBC-3 (YSZ:CeYSZ = 1:2), TBC-4 (YSZ:CeYSZ = 1:1), and TBC-5 (YSZ:CeYSZ = 2:1), were fabricated using the atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) method. Their oxidation behaviors at 1100 °C and corrosion resistance to molten salts (V2O5 + Na2SO4) at 900 °C were examined. After 100 h of oxidation, the thermally grown oxide layer (TGO) for YSZ primarily contained Cr and Ni oxides with significant internal fractures, presenting a continuous band-like Al2O3. In dual-ceramic configurations, an increase in CeYSZ thickness led to a rise in Al content and reduced Cr and Ni in TGO, with the surface fracture morphing into an internal porosity. Following salt corrosion, YSZ revealed rod-like YVO4 and m-ZrO2 as corrosion products, whereas CeYSZ displayed chain-structured CeO2, CeYO4, and YVO4 combined with m-ZrO2. YSZ coatings underwent notable phase transitions with evident densification, forming a corrosion layer of approximately 10 μm. Conversely, CeYSZ showed a limited phase change, retaining porosity without a distinguishable corrosion layer. As CeYSZ thickness increased from 100 μm to 200 μm in the dual-ceramic structure, salt penetration reduced. Evidently, the dense structure of CeYSZ heightened diffusion resistance against oxygen and corrosive salts, rendering superior oxidation and corrosion resistance over YSZ. By optimizing the thickness ratio between CeYSZ and YSZ, whilst retaining total ceramic layer thickness, the dual-ceramic TBC’s resistance to high-temperature oxidation and corrosion can be enhanced.