Characterization of thermal barrier coatings using thermal methods

Although low thermal conductivity was one of the major reasons for the development of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) based on yttria stablilized zirconia (YSZ), its mechanical properties are often considered crucial in failure analysis and assessment of coatings. Thermal properties usually are treated as just basic material parameters and have not been utilized widely in TBC characterization and failure analysis. In fact, thermal transport properties such as thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are closely related to the microstructural changes of the TBC. In this paper, a brief overview of characterization of TBCs using thermal thermophysical properties and temperature mapping is presented.