Hot corrosion behavior of plasma sprayed 4 mol% Y2O 3-ZrO2 thermal barrier coatings with volcanic Ash

Abstract

The hot corrosion behavior of plasma sprayed 4 mol% Y2O 3-ZrO2 (YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with volcanic ash is investigated. Volcanic ash that deposited on the TBCs in gas-turbine engines can attack the surface of TBCs itself as a form of corrosive melt. YSZ coating specimens with a thickness of 430-440 μm are prepared using a plasma spray method. These specimens are subjected to hot corrosion environment at 1200°C with five different duration time, from 10 mins to 100 h in the presence of corrosive melt from volcanic ash. The microstructure, composition, and phase analysis are performed using Field emission scanning electron microscopy, including Energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. After the heat treatment, hematite (Fe2O3-TiO2) and monoclinic YSZ phases are found in TBCs. Furthermore the interface area between the molten volcanic ash layers and YSZ coatings becomes porous with increases in the heat treatment time as the YSZ coatings dissolved into molten volcanic ash. The maximum thickness of this a porous reaction zone is 25 μm after 100 h of heat treatment. © 2013 The Korean Ceramic Society.