Phase evolution and thermal properties of yttria-stabilized hafnia nano-coatings deposited on alumina

Ernesto Javier Rubio, University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract

High-temperature coatings are critical to the future power-generation systems and industries. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), which are usually the ceramic materials applied as thin coatings, protect engine components and allow further increase in engine temperatures for higher efficiency. Thus, the durability and reliability of the coating systems have to be more robust compared to current natural gas based engines. While a near and mid-term target is to develop TBC architecture with a 1300 °C surface temperature tolerance, a deeper understanding of the structure evolution and thermal behavior of the TBC-bond coat interface, specifically the thermally grown oxide (TGO), is of primary importance. In the present work, attention is directed towards yttria-stabilized hafnia (YSH) coatings on alumina (α-Al2O 3) to simulate the TBC-TGO interface and understand the phase evolution, microstructure and thermal oxidation of the coatings. YSH coatings were grown on α-Al2O3 substrates by sputter deposition by varying coating thickness in a wide range ∼30-1000 nm. The effect of coating thickness on the structure, morphology and the residual stress has been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal oxidation behavior of the coatings has been evaluated using the isothermal oxidation measurements under static conditions. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed the existence of monoclinic hafnia phase for relatively thin coatings indicating that the interfacial phenomena are dominant in phase stabilization. The evolution towards pure stabilized cubic phase of hafnia with the increasing coating thickness is observed. The SEM results indicate the changes in morphology of the coatings; the average grain size increases from 15 to 500 nm with increasing thickness. Residual stress was calculated employing XRD using the variable ψ-angle. Relation between residual stress and structural change is also studied. The results obtained on the thermal oxidation behavior indicate that the YSH coatings exhibit initial mass gain in the first 6 hours and sustained structure for extended hours of thermal treatment.

Subject Area

Mechanical engineering|Materials science

Recommended Citation

Rubio, Ernesto Javier, "Phase evolution and thermal properties of yttria-stabilized hafnia nano-coatings deposited on alumina" (2012). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI1533262.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI1533262

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