Performance of thermal barrier coatings on γ‐TiAl

The current development of new generation gamma titanium aluminides is expected to result in alloy chemistries and microstructures capable of operating at temperatures in excess of 850 °C. Under these conditions, environmental and thermal protection becomes a concern since oxidation might eventually limit the maximum service temperatures achievable. Therefore protective coatings are necessary to exploit the full potential of gamma titanium aluminides at moderately elevated temperatures; however, as yet no coating system tested has proven sufficient performance for long‐term use in automotive and aerospace applications. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), typically applied to nickel‐based alloys, offer the potential to increase the service temperature of components by lowering the metal surface temperature in combination with cooling systems. The paper is focussed on development of thermal barrier coatings for gamma titanium aluminides. Different coatings were used for oxidation protection and bond coat application. Substrate specimens were either pre‐oxidized or coated with PVD‐Al₂O₃, TiAlCrYN, or diffusion aluminides. Yttria‐stabilized zirconia TBCs were deposited applying electron‐beam physical vapour deposition. Cyclic and quasi‐isothermal oxidation tests were carried out at 900 °C in air. Post‐oxidation analysis of the coating systems was performed using scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. Zirconia top coats offer a promising thermal protection concept to be applied on γ‐TiAl components. However, high oxidation resistance has to be supplied by protective coatings. Diffusion layers of the TiAl₃ aluminide provided excellent environmental protection because of the formation of a continuous alumina scale. No spallation of the thermal barrier coatings was observed on aluminized specimens during 1000 1‐h cycles and 3000 h of cyclic and isothermal oxidation testing, respectively.     

Influence of heat treatment and surface engineering on thermal fatigue behaviour of tool steel

Abstract

Thermal fatigue (TF) is a common problem in many tool steel components. It is caused by thermal cycling in presence of internal constraints. The resulting thermomechanical stresses induce thermal cracking (heat checking). A laboratory test was developed to reproduce TF damage on a laboratory scale, under oxidizing conditions. Two different test configurations were used to induce unidirectional and bidirectional cracking. Nitriding impairs TF resistance of plain steel due to the easier propagation of cracks through the diffusion layer. The efficacy of PVD coatings is dependent on their oxidation resistance and microstructure. The higher oxidation resistance of AlCrN/AlTiN than CrN results in delayed crack initiation. TF resistance is increased if the coating is free of defects and the interface adhesion is good.     

Tensile strength of plasma-sprayed alumina and/or zirconia coatings on titanium

The heat treatment effect on the characteristics and tensile strength of plasma-sprayed alumina, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), and mixtures of alumina and YSZ coatings on titanium was investigated. The as-sprayed structures of alumina and YSZ coatings consists of a and y alumina phases, and cubic and tetragonal zirconia phases, respectively. The tensile strength of the coatings containing a large amount of YSZ is increased from 25 to 50 MPa by heat treatment at 800 °C. The 60% YSZ-AI₂O₃ coating showed the highest tensile strength. The tensile strength increase of the YSZ-containing coating by heat treatment is caused by formation of 10 to 100 nm wide microcracks. The interface adhesion strength between the heat-treated titanium substrate and the alumina-containing coating is increased by chemical reaction at the in-terface. Thus, a heat-treated alumina and zirconia mixture coating may be favorable in obtaining high tensile strength due to microcrack formation in the coating and the chemical reaction at the interface. During this work, S. Baba was a graduate student at Kyushu Institute of Technology, Sumitomo Metal Ind. Ltd., Osaka, Japan.     

Characterization of Thermal,Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Fluoropolymer Composite Coatings

Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) is a potential polymer coating material for low-temperature waste heat recovery in heat exchangers. Nonetheless, poor thermal conductivity, low strength and susceptibility to surface degradation by erosion/wear pose restrictions in its application. In this study, four types of fillers, namely graphite, silicon carbide, alumina and boron nitride, were introduced to enhance the thermal, mechanical and tribological properties in PFA coatings. The thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity of the composites (reinforced with 20 wt.% filler) were also measured using laser flash and differential scanning calorimetry techniques, respectively. The results indicated that the addition of graphite or boron nitride increased the thermal conductivity of PFA by at least 2.8 orders of magnitude, while the composites with the same weight fraction of alumina or silicon carbide showed 20-80% rise in thermal conductivity. The micromechanical deformation and tribological behavior of composite coatings, electrostatically sprayed on steel substrates, were investigated by means of instrumented indentation and scratch tests. The deformation response and friction characteristics were investigated, and the failure mechanisms were identified. Surface hardness, roughness and structure of fillers influenced the sliding performance of the composite coatings. PFA coatings filled with Al₂O₃ or SiC particles showed high load-bearing capacity under sliding conditions. Conversely, BN- and graphite-filled PFA coatings exhibited lower interfacial adhesion to steel substrate and were prone to failure at relatively lower applied loads.     

Oxidation resistant coatings in combination with thermal barrier coatings on γ-TiAl alloys for high temperature applications

Titanium aluminide alloys based on γ-TiAl are considered of growing interest for high temperature applications due to their attractive properties. To extend the service temperatures above 750 °C, the oxidation behaviour has to be improved predominantly by protective layers. In the present study environmental and thermal protection coatings on gamma titanium aluminides were investigated. Nitride and metallic overlay coatings based on Ti-Al-Cr-Y-N and Ti-Al-Cr, respectively, were produced by magnetron sputtering techniques. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) of partially yttria stabilized zirconia were deposited onto Ti-45Al-8Nb, either pre-oxidized or coated with protective layers, applying electron beam physical vapour deposition (EB-PVD).Cyclic oxidation tests were performed at 900 °C and 950 °C in air. The nitride coating exhibited poor oxidation resistance when exposed at 900 °C providing no protection for γ-TiAl. The oxidation behaviour of the Ti-Al-Cr coating was reasonable at both exposure temperatures. During prolonged exposure the coating was depleted in chromium, resulting in the breakdown of the protective alumina scale. EB-PVD zirconia coatings deposited on γ-TiAl exhibited promising lifetime, particularly when specimens were coated with Ti-Al-Cr. The adherence of the TBC on the thermally grown oxide scales was excellent; failure observed was associated with spallation of the oxide scale. At 950 °C, TBCs on specimens coated with Ti-Al-Cr spalled after less than 200 thermal cycles caused by severe oxidation of γ-TiAl and reactions between the zirconia coatings and the thermally grown oxides.     

Enhancement of Functional Ceramic Coating Performance by Gas Tunnel Type Plasma Spraying

A high-precision plasma system has been pursued for advanced thermal processing. The gas tunnel type plasma jet device developed by the author exhibits high energy density and also high efficiency. Among its various applications is the plasma spraying of ceramics such as Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂. The performance of these ceramic coatings is superior to conventional ones. Properties such as the mechanical and chemical properties of the zirconia coatings were reported in previous studies. In this study, the enhancement of the performance of functional ceramic coatings by the gas tunnel type plasma spraying method was carried out using different powders. Results show that the alumina/zirconia composite system exhibited improvements of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. The alumina/zirconia composite coating has the potential for use as a high functionally graded thermal barrier coating. Another application of the gas tunnel type plasma is for surface modification of metals. As an example, TiN films were formed in 5 s and, thick TiN coatings were easily obtained by gas tunnel type plasma reactive spraying.     

Mechanical and Thermal Transport Properties of Suspension Thermal-Sprayed Alumina-Zirconia Composite Coatings

Micro-laminates and nanocomposites of Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂ can potentially exhibit higher hardness and fracture toughness and lower thermal conductivity than alumina or zirconia alone. The potential of these improvements for abrasion protection and thermal barrier coatings is generating considerable interest in developing techniques for producing these functional coatings with optimized microstructures. Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ composite coatings were deposited by suspension thermal spraying (APS and HVOF) of submicron feedstock powders. The liquid carrier employed in this approach allows for controlled injection of much finer particles than in conventional thermal spraying, leading to unique and novel fine-scaled microstructures. The suspensions were injected internally using a Mettech Axial III plasma torch and a Sulzer-Metco DJ-2700 HVOF gun. The different spray processes induced a variety of structures ranging from finely segregated ceramic laminates to highly alloyed amorphous composites. Mechanisms leading to these structures are related to the feedstock size and in-flight particle states upon their impact. Mechanical and thermal transport properties of the coatings were compared. Compositionally segregated crystalline coatings, obtained by plasma spraying, showed the highest hardness of up to 1125 VHN_{3 N}, as well as the highest abrasion wear resistance (following ASTM G65). The HVOF coating exhibited the highest erosion wear resistance (following ASTM G75), which was related to the toughening effect of small dispersed zirconia particles in the alumina-zirconia-alloyed matrix. This microstructure also exhibited the lowest thermal diffusivity, which is explained by the amorphous phase content and limited particle bonding, generating local thermal resistances within the structure.     

Degradation of Thermal Barrier Coatings by Fuel Impurities and CMAS: Thermochemical Interactions and Mitigation Approaches

Degradation of free-standing yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and CoNiCrAlY coatings (300 μm) due to V₂O₅ and a laboratory-synthesized CMAS was investigated at temperatures up to 1400 °C. Reactions, phase transformations, and microstructural development in coatings were examined by using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The molten deposits destabilized the YSZ and reacted with the thermally grown oxide with various phase transformations and reaction product formation. A dense, continuous environmental barrier overlay, based on oxides, applied by electrophoretic deposition was effective in mitigating the molten deposit attack. Enriching CMAS composition with Al promoted the crystallization of anorthite platelets and MgAl₂O₄ spinel, and mitigated CMAS ingression. EPD MgO overlay was also effective in protection against V₂O₅ melt by formation of magnesium vanadates. EPD alumina overlay deposited on thermal barrier coatings with APS 8YSZ and bond-coated IN939 superalloy retained its adhesion and structural integrity after prolonged furnace thermal cycle test at 1100 °C.     

Alumina coatings obtained by thermal spraying and plasma anodising — A comparison

Thermally sprayed alumina coatings are widely used in a range of industrial applications to improve wear and erosion resistance, corrosion protection and thermal insulation of metallic surfaces. These properties are required for many components to be used for production processes in the paper and printing industry.Another appropriate method to produce ceramic coatings is the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). However PEO can only be applied on self-passivating metals like aluminium, titanium, magnesium and their alloys. The present paper concerns a combination of cost-efficient arc spraying and flame spraying of Al coatings (Al99.5, AlCu4Mg1) on steel substrates and post-treatment by plasma-electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The microstructure and phase composition of generated oxide coatings are examined and discussed. The created Al₂O₃ layers show outstanding hardness up to 1600 HV0.1, good bonding strength and excellent abrasion resistance compared to atmospheric plasma-sprayed Al₂O₃-coatings. The results show the superior performance of PEO-coatings and demonstrate their applicability for technical components in extreme operating conditions.     

Fundamentals of adhesion of thermal spray coatings: Adhesion of single splats

Indentation experiments were performed inside a scanning electron microscope to measure adhesive strength of individual alumina splats on a steel substrate. The in situ nature of experimental evaluations made characterization of interfacial crack propagation possible by direct observation. The increase in the strain energy of brittle alumina splats originating from indentation deformation was correlated to the strain energy release rate through the characterization of interfacial crack propagation. An analytical model previously reported and evaluated in studies of the adhesive strength of thin films was employed. An average calculated strain energy release rate of 80 J m⁻² was found for single splats. This high value suggests that splat adhesion can make a significant contribution to the adhesion of thermal sprayed coatings.     

High temperature performance of arc-sprayed aluminum bronze coatings for steel

1 Introduction The aluminum bronze coatings on steel substrate which are sprayed by electric arc process have been developed as possible new candidates for the use to high temperature applications, while their corrosion properties at high temperature in …     

低温等离子复合技术制备氧化铝阻氚涂层的研究

采用低温等离子体复合技术在不锈钢基体上制备了氧化铝阻氚涂层,先后经过磁控溅射镀铝,热处理及氧离子注入。利用XRD、SEM、EDS、AES对涂层进行了相结构、表面形貌、成分、元素分布等分析,并进行了划痕实验、抗热震性能及阻氚性能测试,结果表明：磁控溅射获得了高质量的铝涂层,热处理后形成了FeAl合金过渡层。在离子注入中,当注入剂量不变电压增加时,离子注入深度增加而氧元素分布梯度减少;当注入剂量达到8×10₁₇ ions/cm₂以上时,氧元素分布变得均匀。所获得的氧化铝涂层具有较好膜基结合力、抗热震性能及阻氚性能。经过叠加电压注入且剂量达到8×10₁₇ ions/cm₂的膜层具有最好的阻氚性能,在600_oC能使不锈钢的氚渗透率降低3个数量级。     

Hot corrosion behaviour of plasma sprayed alumina + YSZ particle composite coating

Hot corrosion is one of the damage mechanisms in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) due to the molten salt effects as a result of combustion of low quality fuel. In this study, the hot corrosion behaviour of alumina–yttria stabilized zirconia particle composite coatings produced by thermal spraying for use as a thermal barriers on industrial gas turbines and in jet engines was evaluated. Plasma sprayed coatings with three different amounts of alumina- yttria stabilized zirconia particle composite have been exposed to 50 wt % Na₂SO₄ + 50 wt % V₂O₅ corrosive molten salt temperatures at 1050°C for 60 hours. Damages in the coatings surface and cross section after hot corrosion tests have been studied by using a scanning electron microscope to observe the microstructure and x-ray diffraction techniques to analyze the phase composition. The results have shown that the amount of YVO₄ crystals on the surface of YSZ coatings decrease while Al₂O₃ increases in YSZ + Al₂O₃ composition, therefore, the hot corrosion resistance of TBC improves with the addition of Al₂O₃.     

Microstructures and characterization of zirconia-yttria coatings formed in laser and hybrid spray process

Hybrid plasma spraying combined with yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser irradiation was studied to obtain optimum zirconia coatings for thermal barrier use. Zirconia coatings of approximately 150 μm thickness were formed on NiCrAlY bond coated steel substrates both by means of conventional plasma spraying and hybrid plasma spraying under a variety of conditions. Post-laser irradiation was also conducted on the plasma as-sprayed coating. The microstructure of each coating was studied and, for some representative coatings, thermal barrier properties were evaluated by hot erosion and hot oxidation tests. With hybrid spraying, performed under optimum conditions, it was found that a microstructure with appropriate partial densification and without connected porosity was formed and that cracks, which are generally produced in the post-laser irradiation treatment, were completely inhibited. In addition, hybrid spraying formed a smooth coating surface. These microstructural changes resulted in improved coating properties with regard to hardness, high temperature erosion resistance, and oxidation resistance. This paper originally appeared in Thermal Spray: Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century; Proceedings of the 15th International Thermal Spray Conference, C. Coddet, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 1998. This proceedings paper has been extensively reviewed according to the editorial policy of the Journal of Thermal Spray Technology.     

Sputter deposited zirconia-alumina nanolaminate coatings

The mechanical properties of zirconia are known to be a function of phase composition. This article shows that a nanolaminate geometry can be used to control the phase composition of zirconia thin-film coatings. The nanolaminates consist of nanoscale multilayers of polycrystalline zirconia and amorphous alumina grown by reactive sputter deposition. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy results show that both monoclinic (m) and tetragonal (t) zirconia polymorphs are formed in the zirconia layers. The zirconia layers have a strong crystallographic texture. Most zirconia crystallites grow with closest-packed planes (either t{111} or $ m\{ 11\bar 1\} $ ) oriented parallel to the substrate. The volume fraction of tetragonal zirconia, the desired phase for transformation-toughening behavior, increases with decreasing zirconia layer thickness. Nanolaminates with a volume fraction of tetragonal zirconia exceeding 0.8 were produced without the addition of a stabilizing dopant, and independent of the kinetic factors that limit tetragonal zirconia growth in pure zirconia coatings.     

Tribological properties of plasma sprayed zircon-alumina powder mixture with and without laser re-melting

ABSTRACT

This investigation focusses on the wear mechanism of as-sprayed and laser treated mullite based coatings, produced by plasma spraying, under sliding wear condition. First, an alumina powder and zircon sand mixture was plasma sprayed to produce a mullite coating. Selected as-sprayed coatings were subsequently laser treated. The tribological performances of both as-sprayed and laser re-melted coatings were assessed using a pin-on-disc wear apparatus. Hardened steel and WC-Co balls served as rubbing counterparts. A plasma sprayed alumina coating was used for bench marking purposes. Plastic deformation was the dominant wear mechanism under low load-low speed condition for both as-sprayed and laser treated coatings. However, at higher loads and speeds the coatings were found to undergo micro-fracture followed by pulverisation. Wear resistance of the coatings improved following laser treatment.     

32Cr2MoV钢表面电泳沉积氧化铝和氧化锆涂层*

采用电泳沉积法以硝酸铝和硝酸钇为溶胶原料,在溶胶制备过程中加入钇稳氧化锆(YSZ),然后利用电泳沉积和热压滤烧结相结合方法在32Cr2MoV钢表面制备氧化铝和氧化锆涂层。用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对涂层表面及界面形貌进行观察,利用X射线衍射仪(XRD)对涂层物相组成进行分析,采用热循环氧化试验研究涂层对基体在900℃空气中高温氧化行为的影响。结果表明,利用电泳沉积法在32Cr2MoV钢表面制备了一层致密陶瓷涂层,经热压滤烧结后涂层由表层α-Al2O3和ZrO2、次表层Fe的氧化物以及靠近基体的Fe、Mo、Cr氧化物层组成,经900℃热循环氧化试验表明,陶瓷复合涂层对基体32Cr2MoV钢起到了一定的抗氧化保护作用。     

CeO2掺杂对ZrO2-Y2O3纳米涂层性能的影响

在45钢基体表面等离子弧喷涂制备了掺杂不同含量CeO2纳米ZrO2涂层,运用XRD,SEM对涂层的组织结构进行了分析,测试了涂层的结合强度和显微硬度,考察了涂层与铝青铜对磨时的摩擦磨损性能．结果表明,CeO2增加了ZrO2涂层的致密性、结合强度和显微硬度．纳米ZrO2涂层中加入CeO2后,增加了ZrO2涂层／铝青铜摩擦副的摩擦系数,增强了纳米ZrO2涂层,耐磨能力．涂层与铝青铜对磨时,随着CeO2含量的增加,ZrO2涂层粘着磨损形式增强,而涂层脆性断裂脱落的趋势减轻．     

Sol–gel coating to reduce 1.25Cr–0.5Mo steel oxidation at 700 °C: Catalyst type effect

With the use of sol–gel it is possible to apply zirconia coatings to reduce high temperature oxidation of steel. Some limitations of this technique are high hydrolysis rates and the formation of cracks during the drying stage. In this work, the mole ratio of zirconium butoxide to ethylacetate, and the nature of the catalyst were varied. SEM-EDX was used to evaluate the continuity of the zirconia coatings, and thermo-gravimetric analysis for the oxidation rate of coated samples. Thin and continuous coatings were obtained. With a basic catalyst, the coatings were crack-free and presented lower oxidation rate than acid-catalyzed coatings.     

Cyclic oxidation resistance of Ni–Al alloy coatings deposited on steel by a cathodic arc plasma process

The cyclic oxidation resistance of nickel-aluminide coatings deposited on steel using a cathodic arc plasma (CAP) process has been investigated. Our results show that nickel-aluminide films can be successfully deposited on carbon steel and stainless steel substrates by this process; NiAl₃ is the major phase in the deposited films. The thermal cycling behaviour suggests that such coatings can resist oxidation through physical blocking of oxygen, either by the coating itself or by the aluminium oxide scale subsequently formed in-service. Aluminium diffusion inwards to the substrate may also be beneficial to the thermal oxidation resistance. The coating protects stainless steel substrate materials at 500°C by transforming the NiAl₃ phase into NiAl, producing aluminium oxide on the open substrate surface. At 800°C, oxide flaking is suppressed by the trace amounts of nickel or aluminium which have partially diffused into the substrate.