Improve durability of plasma-splayed thermal barrier coatings by decreasing sintering-induced stiffening in ceramic coatings

In this study, a newly-tailored plasma-sprayed (PS) yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic coating towards enhanced strain tolerance and sintering resistance was developed to improve the durability of TBCs. The thermal shock life was found to be markedly prolonged by more than four times. Failure mechanisms and sintering behavior of the newly-structured and conventional TBCs were systematically investigated through microstructural and mechanical analyses. Conventional TBCs suffered a premature spallation due to rapid sintering-induced stiffening of the ceramic top coat. In contrast, the new coating exhibits an enhanced sintering resistance whereby preserving a good strain tolerance over time. Specifically, its elastic modulus after thermal exposure remains comparable to the as-sprayed states. The effect of ceramic top coat stiffness on cracking behavior of TBCs was clarified by a corresponding cohesive zone finite element modeling. This study provides a new option for improving TBCs durability and the results could benefit the increased integrity of TBCs.