Development of Low-Oxide MCrAlY Coatings for Gas Turbine Applications

Advanced high-energy plasma systems are being used to achieve the benefits of the high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) system without losing the inherent advantages of plasma for coating of gas turbine parts. MCrAlY coatings play a very important role in the performance and reliability of gas turbine components. One of the important considerations for next generation of gas turbines, which have more demanding conditions and need to withstand ever increasing operating temperatures, is that they should possess very low oxygen content levels in the coating. Low oxygen content coatings are applied by the expensive low-pressure plasma spray (LPPS)/vacuum plasma spray (VPS) technique for critical components in aero- and land-based gas turbines. This work deals with the development of low-cost LPPS equivalent coatings (having low oxygen content) using the high-energy high-velocity plasma spray (HEHVPS) gun and inert gas shroud. A comparison has also been made with CoNiCrAlY coatings by HVOF.     

Thermal Fatigue Behavior of Thick and Porous Thermal Barrier Coatings Systems

High-temperature thermal fatigue causes the failure of thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems. This paper addresses the development of thick TBCs, focusing on the microstructure and the porosity of the yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YPSZ) coating, regarding its resistance to thermal fatigue. Thick TBCs, with different porosity levels, were produced by means of a CoNiCrAlY bond coat and YPSZ top coat, both had been sprayed by air plasma spray. The thermal fatigue resistance of new TBC systems and the evolution of the coatings before and after thermal cycling was then evaluated. The limit of thermal fatigue resistance increases depending on the amount of porosity in the top coat. Raman analysis shows that the compressive in-plane stress increases in the TBC systems after thermal cycling, nevertheless the increasing rate has a trend which is contrary to the porosity level of top coat. This article is an invited paper selected from presentations at the 2007 International Thermal Spray Conference and has been expanded from the original presentation. It is simultaneously published in Global Coating Solutions, Proceedings of the 2007 International Thermal Spray Conference, Beijing, China, May 14-16, 2007, Basil R. Marple, Margaret M. Hyland, Yuk-Chiu Lau, Chang-Jiu Li, Rogerio S. Lima, and Ghislain Montavon, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 2007.     

Metal-glass based composites for application in TBC-systems

A new type of thermal barrier coating (TBC) based on metal-glass composite (MGC) consisting of an ordinary container glass and a NiCoCrAlY-alloy has been recently presented. This TBC material provides the possibility to easily adjust its thermal expansion coefficient to match the substrate by changing the metal to glass ratio of the composite. Vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) has been applied as a possible technologies for deposition of MGC coatings. Isothermal oxidation tests were carried out in air at temperatures of 950, 1000, and 1050 °C, respectively. Thermal cycling tests were carried out by applying a temperature gradient across the sample thickness by heating with an open flame of natural gas followed by removal of the burner and air cooling. Changes in the microstructure were examined by means of microscopy, microanalysis, and x-ray powder diffraction. For long-time annealing at high temperatures, a progressive degradation of the glass matrix as well as oxidation of the metal phases cannot be fully suppressed up to now. By lowering the effective temperature at the MGC layer when used as an intermediate layer, the degradation of the MGC can be reduced without losing its advanced features with respect to creeping and gas-tightness. Additional concepts for improved oxidation resistance of the MGC based on suitable heat treatments and on alternative glass compositions have been developed, and primary results are shown. Evaluation of results from isothermal oxidation experiments and from thermal cycling in burner-rig facilities validates a clear improvement of the lifetime of the coatings compared with earlier results. This article was originally published inBuilding on 100 Years of Success, Proceedings of the 2006 International Thermal Spray Conference (Seattle, WA), May 15–18, 2006, B.R. Marple, M.M. Hyland, Y.-Ch. Lau, R.S. Lima, and J. Voyer, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 2006.     

重型燃机喷嘴壳体及遮热板热障涂层剥落机制

目的 探究重型燃机喷嘴壳体及遮热板热障涂层剥落机制,为该部件的全寿命管理提供参考。方法 采用等离子喷涂方法,分别制备以06Cr25Ni20不锈钢和Hastelloy X合金为基材的热障涂层试验件,并结合水淬热冲击表征方法与瞬态热力耦合仿真方法,表征热障涂层水淬后的剥落状态,获得热障涂层残余剪应力的分布状态随基材和服役工况的变化行为,揭示热障涂层在多层热失配工况下的剥落机制。结果 在水淬热冲击条件下,2种不同基材的热障涂层试验件表现出类似的剥落行为,但由于基材热膨胀系数的差异,以06Cr25Ni20不锈钢为基材的热障涂层的残余剪应力(70.1 MPa)比Hastelloy X合金基材的热障涂层(52.7 MPa)更大,热冲击寿命更短。在梯度温度载荷下,2种不同基材热障涂层试验件的失效模式不同,前者的最大残余剪应力为39.2 MPa,后者为25.7 MPa。结论 在2种温度载荷下,以Hastelloy X合金为基材的热障涂层具有较低的残余应力和较长的服役寿命。此外,水淬热冲击可以快速表征热障涂层的寿命行为,但其失效模式与实际梯度温度载荷下的失效模式仍有一定区别。     

Quantitative Topographical Characterization of Thermally Sprayed Coatings by Optical Microscopy

Topography measurements and roughness calculations for different rough surfaces (Rugotest surface comparator and thermally sprayed coatings) are presented. The surfaces are measured with a novel quantitative topography measurement technique based on optical stereomicroscopy and a comparison is made with established scanning stylus and optical profilometers. The results show that for most cases the different methods yield similar results. Stereomicroscopy is therefore a valuable method for topographical investigations in both quality control and research. On the other hand, the method based on optical microscopy demands a careful optimization of the experimental settings like the magnification and the illumination to achieve satisfactory results.     

燃气轮机起动过程热障涂层的应力数值分析

考虑了热障涂层在服役过程中发生的陶瓷层烧结和氧化层增厚作用,对燃气轮机起动过程中涂层热应力进行了数值研究。通过瞬态传热模拟获得起动过程温度场,运用顺序热应力耦合求解起动过程热应力。其中起动初始的陶瓷层烧结和氧化层增厚状态,通过预先模拟高温烧结和氧化层增厚过程来获得,并通过ABAQUS子程序分别实现。结果表明,起动过程中涂层瞬态温度场的变化主要受燃气温度的变化规律所影响。起动过程未见热应力激增现象,陶瓷层烧结和氧化层增厚主要对起动初期,尤其是起动过程的初始残余应力有重要影响,对起动过程中后期的影响可忽略。烧结对陶瓷层和粘结层的热应力均有较大影响,而氧化层增厚对陶瓷层热应力的影响很小,但其对粘结层热应力的影响比烧结更大。     

燃气热冲击对PS-PVD和APS热障涂层的微结构和隔热性能的影响

采用等离子喷涂-物理气相沉积(PS-PVD)和大气等离子喷涂(APS)技术分别制备柱状和层状YSZ陶瓷层,在1 250℃的燃气热冲击下对比研究两种涂层体系的微结构演变和隔热性能变化。结果显示,燃气热冲击后PS-PVD和APS制备的两种YSZ层主要由t'相和c相构成。APS制备的YSZ层微裂纹不断生长开裂并出现局部层状剥落,而PS-PVD制备的YSZ层的"菜花头"间隙不断增大并出现局部"菜花头"剥落。同时表明,PS-PVD制备的热障涂层在长期燃气热冲击时抗氧化性及隔热效果均优于APS制备的热障涂层。     

Laser Shock Flier Impact Simulation of Particle-Substrate Interactions in Cold Spray

Coating-substrate adhesion in cold spray is a paramount property, the mechanisms of which are not yet well elucidated. To go into these mechanisms, due to the intrinsic characteristics of the cold spray process (particle low-temperature and high velocity) direct observation and control of inflight particles and related phenomena cannot be done easily. For this reason, an experimental simulation of the particle-substrate reactions at the particle impingement was developed. This simulation is based on original flier impact experiments from laser shock acceleration. Relevant interaction phenomena were featured and studied as a function of shearing, plastic deformation, phase transformation primarily. These phenomena were shown to be similar to those involved in cold spray. This was ascertained by the study of the Cu-Al metallurgically reactive system using SEM, TEM, EPMA, and energy balance and diffusion calculations. This simulation could also be used to feed finite element modeling of cold spray and laser shock flier impact.     

Thermal Spray Coatings Engineered from Nanostructured Ceramic Agglomerated Powders for Structural,Thermal Barrier and Biomedical Applications: A Review

Thermal spray coatings produced from nanostructured ceramic agglomerated powders were tailored for different applications, some of which required almost completely opposite performance characteristics (e.g., anti-wear and abradable coatings). The influence of nanostructured materials on important areas, such as, thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) and biomedical coatings was also investigated. It was determined that by controlling the distribution and character of the semi-molten nanostructured agglomerated particles (i.e., nanozones) embedded in the coating microstructure, it was possible to engineer coatings that exhibited high toughness for anti-wear applications or highly friable for use as abradables, exhibiting abradability levels equivalent to those of metallic-based abradables. It is shown that nanozones, in addition to being very important for the mechanical behavior, may also play a key role in enhancing and controlling the bioactivity levels of biomedical coatings via biomimetism. This research demonstrates that these nanostructured coatings can be engineered to exhibit different properties and microstructures by spraying nanostructured ceramic agglomerated powders via air plasma spray (APS) or high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF). Finally, in order to present readers with a broader view of the current achievements and future prospects in this area of research, a general overview is presented based on the main papers published on this subject in the scientific literature.