Characterization of alumina scales formed during isothermal and cyclic oxidation of plasma-sprayed TBC systems at 1150°C

J. A. Haynes, M. K. Ferber, W. D. Porter, E. D. Rigney

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Abstract

The isothermal- and cyclic-oxidation behavior of thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems consisting of vacuum plasma-sprayed (VPS) Ni-22Cr-10Al-1Y (wt.%) bond coatings and air plasma-sprayed (APS) Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) top coatings (on single-crystal superalloys) was investigated. The microstructures, flaw contents, and fracture behavior of the Al2O3 scales formed during oxidation testing at 1150°C were characterized (by analysis of coating and scale fracture surfaces and metallographic cross sections). Significant localized fracture and buckling of the Al2O3 scales that formed along the bond-coat-top-coat interfaces were observed after cyclic oxidation of TBCs. However, substantial amounts of localized scale damage did not induce rapid TBC failure. Decohesion of the columnar alumina scales on the rough bond-coat surfaces occurred by both internal Al2O3 fracture (parallel to the metal surface) and oxide-metal delamination. There were microstructural indications of Al2O3 scale crack healing by sintering into planar arrays of voids. Alumina scales that formed on convex NiCrAlY surfaces (with radii of 50 μm or less) often contained significant amounts of internal voids (along grain boundaries) after cyclic oxidation, whereas scales formed by isothermal oxidation contained few visible voids. Accelerated void growth in Al2O3 scales on the irregular NiCrAlY surfaces appeared to be creep-related and was attributed to the synergistic effects of geometric and thermal stresses.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)31-76
Number of pages46
JournalOxidation of Metals
Volume52
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999

Funding

The authors are grateful to Ben Nagaraj of General Electric Aircraft Engines forproviding theRene N5,PaulBecherofORNLforuseofthe FEG± SEM,andBrucePint,PeterTortorelli,IanWright,andAndyWeresz-czak of ORNL for helpful discussions and manuscript reviews. The authors would also like to thank Professor Chris Berndt and Glenn Bancke of the Thermal Spray Laboratory at SUNY-Stony Brook for TBC fabrication. This research was sponsored by the Assistant Secretary for Energy Ef® ciencyandRenewableEnergy,Of® ceofTransportationTechnologies, as part of the High-Temperature Materials Laboratory Fellowship Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp. for the U.S. Department of Energy under contract number DE-AC05-96OR22464.

FundersFunder number
Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp.
U.S. Department of EnergyDE-AC05-96OR22464
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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