Seminar Mid Report on

THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS

Submitted by

Ganesh Nandgaonkar

Roll No: 153236

Section B

Mechanical Engineering, NIT Warangal

 THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS

Introduction:
The depletion of fossil fuel resources at a faster rate in the present world of economic
competitiveness is generating an essential demand for increase in the efficiency of high
temperature engineering components like internal combustion engines and gas turbines used in
automotive, aerospace or power industries. These energy conversion systems have to deal with
sufficiently high operating temperatures. However, such higher temperatures demand for
enhanced temperature resistant materials to be used. Here goal is to present a review on the
application of coating of thermally insulating materials commonly known as thermal barrier
coatings over the high temperature components.

Thermal barrier coatings are highly advanced material systems usually applied to metallic
surfaces, such as gas turbine or aero-engine parts, operating at elevated temperatures, as a form
of exhaust heat management. These coatings serve to insulate components from large and
prolonged heat loads by utilizing thermally insulating materials which can sustain an appreciable
temperature difference between the load bearing alloys and the coating surface. In doing so,
these coatings can allow for higher operating temperatures, while limiting the thermal exposure
of structural components, extending part life by reducing oxidation and thermal fatigue. In
conjunction with active film cooling, TBCs permit working fluid temperatures higher than the
melting point of the metal airfoil in some turbine applications

In land-based and air-borne gas turbines thermal barrier coatings (TBC) have been used for some
twenty-five years as an insulator for load-carrying hot components from the hot oxidative
environment in combustor and turbine. Due to the low thermal conductivity, ceramic, normally
yttria partially stabilised zirconia (YPSZ), is used as a top coat (TC) together with a metallic
bond coat (BC). Here the TC will act as the thermal insulator while the BC will provide
adherence for the ceramic outer layer. For oxidation resistance the bond coat is an aluminium-
rich alloy based on either nickel or cobalt. In industrial applications the TC is used in a thickness
from 300μm up to approximately two millimetres.
During service the material will change its behaviour. The top coat will sinter and change
mechanical properties as well as thermal conductivity. Also oxidation of the bond coat and
microstructural changes during high temperature exposure due to enrichment/depletion
(diffusion and oxidation) of elements will alter the material properties. From previous studies it
is well-known that high temperature exposure, thermal and mechanical loading will increase the
residual stress level at the interface between ceramic and metal. Damage, in terms of interface
delamination, will with time develop within the material system. Eventually the delamination
damage will be so severe that the material can buckle and large pieces of the TC can flake off. A
consequence of coating loss will be local overheating of the underlying metal with obvious risk
of severe oxidation and also creep damage if the component is mechanically stressed.
In order to use a gas turbine as economically and efficiently as possible, it is desirable to
maximise the time between inspections and overhaul with maintained mechanical integrity.

ANATOMY OF LAYER OF TBC:

Thermal barrier coatings consist of four layers: the metal substrate, metallic bond coat, thermally
grown oxide, and ceramic topcoat. The ceramic topcoat is typically composed of yttria-stabilized
zirconia (YSZ) which is desirable for having very low conductivity while remaining stable at
nominal operating temperatures typically seen in applications.
The oxide that is commonly used is Zirconia oxide (ZrO2) and Yttrium oxide (Y2O3). The
metallic bond coat is an oxidation/hot corrosion resistant layer. The bond coat is empirically
represented as MCrAlY alloy where

M - Metals like Ni, Co or Fe.

Y –Reactive metals like Yttrium.
CrAl - base metal.

Coatings are well established as an important underpinning technology for the manufacture of
aero engine and industrial turbines. Higher turbine combustion temperatures are desirable for
increased engine efficiency and environmental reasons (reduction in pollutant emissions,
particularly NOx), but place severe demands on the physical and chemical properties of the basic
materials of fabrication.

In this context, MCrAlY coatings (where M = Co, Ni or Co/Ni) are widely applied to first and
second stage turbine blades and nozzle guide vanes, where they may be used as corrosion
resistant overlays or as bond-coats for use with thermal barrier coatings.

Recent advancements in finding an alternative for YSZ ceramic topcoat identified many novel
ceramics (rare earth zirconates) having superior performance at temperatures above 1200 °C,
however with inferior fracture toughness compared to that of YSZ. This ceramic layer creates the
largest thermal gradient of the TBC and keeps the lower layers at a lower temperature than the
surface.

TBCs fail through various degradation modes that include mechanical rumpling of bond coat
during thermal cyclic exposure, especially, coatings in aircraft engines; accelerated oxidation,
hot corrosion, molten deposit degradation. There are issues with oxidation (areas of the TBC
getting stripped off) of the TBC also, which reduces the life of the metal drastically, which leads
to thermal fatigue.

TBCs with dual functionality: protection and sensing:

Knowing the temperature of the surface of the TBC and at the interface between the bondcoat
and the thermally grown oxide under realistic conditions is highly desirable. As the major life-
controlling factors for TBC systems are thermally activated, therefore linked with temperature,
this would provide useful data for a better understanding of these phenomena and to assess the
remaining life time of the TBC. The integration of an on-line temperature detection system
would enable the full potential of TBCs to be realised due to improved precision in temperature
measurement and early warning of degradation. The TBC is locally modified so it acts as a
thermographic phosphor. Phosphors are an innovative way of remotely measuring temperatures
and also other physical properties at different depths in the coating using photo stimulated
phosphorescence.

USES OF TBC:
When used under-bonnet, these have the positive effect of reducing engine bay temperatures,
therefore lessening the intake temperature.

Although most ceramic-coatings are applied to metallic parts directly related to the engine
exhaust system, some new technology has been introduced that allows thermal barrier coatings to
applied via plasma spray onto composite materials. This is now commonplace to find on high-
performance automobiles and in various race series such as in Formula 1. As well as providing
thermal protection, these coatings are also used to prevent physical degradation of the composite
due to frictional processes. This is possible because the ceramic material bonds with the
composite (instead of merely sticking on the surface with paint), therefore forming a tough
coating that doesn't chip or flake easily.

Although thermal barrier coatings have been applied to the inside of exhaust systems, this has
encountered problems due to the inability to prepare the internal surface prior to coating.

INDUSTRIAL USES

In industrial applications, where space is at a premium, thermal barrier coatings are commonly
used to protect from heat loss (or gain).