Thermal cycling property of the novel Hf6Ta2O17/YSZ TBCs prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying technology

Hf6Ta2O17, with low thermal conductivity, high thermal expansion coefficient, and excellent fracture toughness, was a promising candidate ceramic top coat material of thermal barrier coating (TBC). A novel Hf6Ta2O17/YSZ double ceramic top coat prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) was applied to study the role of the microstructure and mechanical property on the thermal cycling property at 1200 degrees C. Results show that the rapid decomposition of Hf6Ta2O17 occurred during the spraying process. As the increased spraying power, more HfO2 phases were observed in the Hf6Ta2O17/YSZ TBCs. Besides, the porosity of the Hf6Ta2O17 ceramic top coat decreased with the increased spraying power, resulting in the elastic modulus of the Hf6Ta2O17 ceramic top coat enhancement. The highest cycles at 1200 degrees C were obtained for the Hf6Ta2O17/YSZ TBCs with the lowest elastic modulus and least HfO2 phases, and were twice as long as the cycles of the single YSZ TBCs. The chemical reaction between HfO2 and Hf6Ta2O17 might have contributed to the cracking of the Hf6Ta2O17/YSZ TBCs. This work provides a new option for the preparation and development of the ternary oxides by APS.