Current Challenges and Future Perspectives in the Field of Thermal Barrier Coatings

Abstract

This chapter describes how ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are usually applied on metal components of aircraft engines and land-based gas turbines, with the purpose to extend their lifetime as well as to increase performance and durability, by increasing the operating temperature. The TBCs have to satisfy basic requirements in terms of low thermal conductivity, high stress compliance, high sintering resistance as well as high resistance to the environmental attack promoted by oxygen, molten salts and CMAS (calcium-magnesium-alumino-silicate) deposits. This chapter is aimed at analyzing the state-of-the-art, the recent developments and the future perspectives in the field of TBCs, focusing the attention on advanced materials and new architectures as well as explaining the mechanisms affecting the failure of TBC systems.