Synthesis and phase stability of zirconia-lanthania-ytterbia-yttria nanoparticles; a promising advanced TBC material

Advanced thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) developed by incorporating multicomponent rare earth oxide dopants into zirconia are promising alternative to replace yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thermal barrier coatings. In this study, a zirconia-based nanopowder coating doped by multiple rare earth oxides (YLaYbZr: 5.86 Mol.%Y2O3-1.99 Mol.%La2O3-1.98 Mol.%Yb2O3-ZrO2) was synthesized using co-precipitation technique which is advantageous in terms of simplicity and cost-effectiveness. The product was then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) method and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The stability of YLaYbZr compound was studied after a heat treating the product at 1300 degrees C for 50 h. The results indicated that the initially obtained powder was a metastable tetragonal (t-prime) zirconia. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data from YLaYbZr powder after 50 h of heat treatment at 1300 degrees C confirmed stabilization of zirconia in the t-prime phase with around 15 wt.% monoclinic impurity. Furthermore, FESEM results (before and after heat treatment) indicated orderly particles of uniform shape and size with a small tendency toward agglomeration.