The effect of ceramic YSZ powder morphology on coating performance for industrial TBCs

The increasing turbine inlet temperatures in modern gas turbines have raised concerns about the corrosion of ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) caused by molten silicate deposits, commonly referred to as “CMAS” due to their main constituents (CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2). The objective of this study was to investigate the combined influence of powder morphology and chemical composition on the CMAS resistance and thermal cycling resistance of ceramic monolayer and bi-layer coatings created through Atmospheric Plasma Spraying (APS). Three powder morphologies were examined: porous Agglomerated and Sintered (A&S) granules, Hollow Spherical (HOSP) powders, and dense, irregular Fused and Crushed (F&C) particles. Monolayer 7-8YSZ coatings with both porous and dense vertically cracked (DVC) microstructures, and bi-layer coatings consisting of a bottom layer of porous standard 7-8YSZ and a top layer composed of a porous high‑yttrium ZrO2–55 wt% Y2O3 were obtained using all three powder types (A&S, HOSP, or F&C). Furthermore, the bi-layer systems were deposited with different ratios between the individual layer thicknesses and/or different total thickness. FEG-SEM, EDX, and micro-Raman analyses, were conducted to assess the coatings' performance. Nanoindentation high-speed mapping and pillar splitting test were performed to evaluate the mechanical behaviour. The study on 8YSZ monolayers shows that coatings from a F&C feedstock exhibit higher density, reducing the CMAS penetration. However, these coatings demonstrate poorer thermal cycling performance due to increased stiffness and thermal stresses. Coatings from HOSP and A&S powders allow CMAS penetration but offer stress relief pathways, enhancing the coating's ability to withstand thermal stresses. Bi-layer coatings with a 55YSZ top coat show superior CMAS resistance compared to 7-8YSZ monolayer coatings, with limited penetration causing top coat peeling. The thickness ratio between the layers also affects thermal cycling resistance, where a thinner 55YSZ layer extends the TBC lifetime.