THERMAL SHOCK BEHAVIOR OF LANTHANUM ZIRCONATE-BASED THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS

Abstract

In this study, La2Zr2O7, Yb2O3 and Gd2O3-doped La[Formula: see text](Gd, Yb)[Formula: see text]Zr2O7 thermal barrier coatings have been manufactured from the crystalline and amorphous feedstock by plasma spraying. The thickness of the bond coat is 100±25[Formula: see text]m and the thickness of the top coat is 250±25[Formula: see text]m. Thermal shock tests were carried out in furnace temperature of 1200[Formula: see text]C. The thermal shock tests indicate that lifetime of the La[Formula: see text]Gd[Formula: see text]Zr2O7 coating has 55 cycles which is the highest thermal shock lifetime compared to other coatings in this study. The type of feedstock, amorphous or crystalline, strongly affects the thermal shock lifetime of La2Zr2O7 coatings. Coating damage after thermal shock tests was investigated using scanning electron microscope to observe the microstructure and X-ray diffraction techniques to analyze the phase composition. The failure of coatings is mainly in consequence of the accumulation of stress between bond coat–ceramic coat interface due to thermal expansion coefficient differences and thermally grown oxide layer formation during thermal shock cycling tests.