David Jech

High-Temperature Low Cycle Fatigue Resistance of Inconel 713LC Coated with Novel Thermal Barrier Coating

Inconel 713LC was developed in the 1950s and is still widely used in power generation especially because of favourable price in conjunction with satisfying properties. However, the need for higher efficiency of high-temperature facilities leads to increase operating temperature that causes severe degradation of the material. In order to enhance the life-time of material, the protective coatings are applied. For the purpose of this study, nineteen cylindrical specimens were cut from rods manufactured using investment castings technique and subsequently, 10 specimens were coated with novel complex thermal barrier coating (TBC) system. The TBC system comprises a metallic CoNiCrAlY bond coat (BC) and a complex ceramic top coat (TC). The TC is a mixture of conventional YSZ ceramic and a eutectic nanocrystalline ceramic Eucor in the ratio of 50/50 in wt%. Eucor is made of zirconia (ZrO2), alumina (Al2O3) and silica (SiO2). Low cycle fatigue tests were performed in symmetrical push-pull cycle under strain control at 900 °C. Cyclic hardening/softening curves, cyclic stress-strain curves and fatigue life curves of coated and uncoated material were obtained. Fracture surfaces and polished sections parallel to the loading axis of specimens in as-coated conditions and after cyclic loading were observed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to study degradation mechanisms during high-temperature low cycle fatigue. TBC delamination was observed at the TC/BC interface and rafting of precipitates occurred after high-temperature exposure. The microstructural investigations help discuss the differences in the stress-strain response and fatigue life of coated and uncoated superalloy.

Critical Weak Points of Atmospheric Plasma Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings

The 8 wt. % yttria stabilized zirconia top coat (TC) and the CoNiCrAlY bond coat (BC) were sprayed onto the surface of newly developed fine-grained cast polycrystalline nickel-based superalloy Inconel 713LC by means of atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). As-prepared samples were isothermally exposed at the temperature of 1050 °C for 200 hours in an ambient atmosphere. Structural changes in the thermal barrier coatings (TBC) system after thermal exposure were studied by means of scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive microanalyzer. Critical weak points were identified on both the substrate-bond coat and bond coat-top coat interfaces.

Failure Mechanism of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Atmospheric Plasma Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings Subjected to Calcia-Magnesia-Alumino-Silicate Environmental Attack

The contribution focuses on the description of failure mechanism of atmospheric plasma sprayed multilayer thermal barrier coatings subjected to calcia-magnesia-alumino-silicate (CMAS) environmental attack. To identify exothermic and endothermic reactions which occurred during heating/cooling by means of calorimetry was also utilized initial yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) powder subsequently used for thermal spraying of multilayer thermal barrier coating system (TBCs), CMAS powder later on utilized for thin layer deposition and its mixture. Atmospheric plasma spray technique was used to produce the TBCs on a grit blasted nickel-based superalloy substrates, where CoNiCrAlY powder was used for deposition of a bond coat and YSZ powder was sprayed as a top coat. In accordance to the aerospace standard the thin layer of CMAS was deposited on as sprayed TBCs samples surface from its colloidal solution by paint brush method. Burner-rig test, utilizing direct propane-oxygen flame, was used for thermal cyclic exposition of the multilayer coated samples at the temperature of 1150 °C. Samples after thermal cyclic exposure test were investigated by means of materialographic analysis approaches. The significant reduction in life-time of CMAS coated YSZ top coat was observed due to lower melting point phase formation and molten silicate crystallization within the pores providing the spallation identified as a major mechanism of TBCs failure.

The Role of Different Atmospheric Plasma Spray Parameters on Microstructure of Abradable AlSi-Polyester Coatings

One of the approaches to increase the thermic efficiency of aerospace engines is the application of abradable coatings enabling minimization and control of the clearance between the stator and the rotating blades tips. The main purpose of this contribution is to define the role of different technological parameters utilized for atmospheric plasma spraying of AlSi-polyester coating on its resulting microstructure. Deposition of abradable coatings on the real engine parts is mostly dependent on spraying stand-off distance and on spraying angle. These two parameters influence not only the coating microstructure but also the deposition efficiency itself, which is directly connected with economical aspects of the coating production. The set of experimental samples with atmospheric plasma sprayed Ni-based bond coat and two in chemical composition same initial powders delivered from different powder manufacturers were used to spray thick AlSi-polymer top coats with different spraying stand-off distances and angles. Subsequently some of the samples were also heat treated to burn-out the polymer phase from the coating microstructure. The Rockwell HR15Y hardness was measured on all samples and the microstructure and coating thickness were evaluated by means of light microscopy and image analysis methods.

Investigations of Wettability of Wear Resistant Coatings Produced by Atmospheric Plasma Spraying

Changes in fluids contact angle in the interaction with materials surface can play a critical role in enhancement of hydro-machine components and pipelines efficiency and/or service lifetime. However most nowadays used materials and/or coatings are made from polymers or ceramic polymer composites produced by highly sophisticated and/or very expensive techniques. Unfortunately there are a lack of mechanical properties. With the aim to study the role of the surface topography on the water contact angle changes, the representatives of wear resistant coatings (WC10Co4Cr, Cr2O3+5SiO2+3TiO2 and Al2O3) were produced by means of atmospheric plasma spraying. Wettability of the coatings surface was studied by adding the liquid droplet on as sprayed, grinded and polished coatings surface by measuring the changes of its contact angle. To estimate the coatings phase composition and topography XRD technique and optical profilometer were used. The contact angle of water was measured by sessile droplet method. To obtain the complex information of the cross-sectional coatings microstructure the conventional metallographic analysis approaches and optical microscopy were also used.

Enhancement of Magnetic Properties of 41CrMo4 Steel by Means of Diffusion Coatings

The knowledge of magnetic and transport properties of construction steels for magnetic circuits plays an important role. Three different techniques: (i) flame spray, (ii) twin wire arc spray and (iii) powder mixture with halide activator were used to produce Si, CuSn6 and Si coatings, respectively, on the 41CrMo4 steel ring substrates. Immediately after the thermal spraying or inserting the steels into the powder mixture was used isothermal heat treatment at the temperatures of 800 °C / 6 hrs, 1000 °C / 4 hrs and 1250 °C / 2 hrs to produce the diffusion coatings. Several coating systems consisting of different phases and thicknesses were manufactured. Opto-digital microscope, scanning electron microscope and digital image analysis, second equipped with energy dispersive microanalyzer, were utilized to characterize the microstructure, chemical composition and thicknesses of the coatings. The influence of coatings on magnetic properties in the frequency range of 50-2000 Hz was also measured.

Powder Processing and Thermal Spraying of Barium-Magnesium-Aluminium-Silicate Environmental Barrier Coatings

As a potential candidate for the top coating in novel Environmental Barrier Coating systems, one representative of a Barium-Magnesium-Aluminium-Silicate family was produced in the form of the powder. Initial compounds were heat-treated to synthesize and the product was crushed in the ball mill device down to the fraction of 20 micrometers. In the next step, the atmospheric plasma spray (APS) technique was used to form a coating on a steel sheet substrate. The aim of this study was to obtain the most favorable technological parameters for the thermal spraying process and therefore two plasma spraying parameters for pure alumina or yttria stabilized zirconia, and other three experimentally designed ones were tested. Despite the same stand-off distance used for coatings manufacturing, thickness and porosity differed in order of tens of micrometers and several percent, respectively. Resulting coatings consisted of a mixture of amorphous and crystalline Al2O3, SiO2 and MgO phases.

Formation of Thermally Sprayed Coatings on Grid-Like Structure Substrate

The main goal of this contribution is to investigate the influence of the substrate morphology on the resulting thermally sprayed coatings microstructure. Therefore, three different representative coating systems and/or thermal spray techniques were utilized to produce the coatings on grid-like structure substrates: (i) CoNiCrAlY bond coat (BC) sprayed by high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) technique and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) top coat (TC) sprayed by means of atmospheric plasma spray (APS) technique, (ii) YSZ coating sprayed by means of APS and (iii) YSZ coating sprayed by means of nanoparticle colloid suspension plasma spraying (SPS). The shadowing effect of thermal spray coatings in relation with the grid-like substrate structure was investigated in detail. Resulting microstructure of sprayed samples was studied utilizing light microscopy, digital image analysis, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometer and X-ray diffraction techniques.

Anodizing of Zinc-Titanium Alloy in NaOH and KOH Baths

Electrochemical process of conversion coatings formation on Zn-Ti alloy surface during one-step anodizing process was studied in NaOH and KOH electrolytes over the range of voltages (4-50 V) and constant time in order to investigate parameters for the origin of anodic zinc coating. Stainless steel was used as a counter electrode and electrolyte during the anodizing process was agitated by compressed air. Coatings microstructures and morphology were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Surface topography was investigated prior and after the anodizing using non-contact optical 3D profilometer. It was found that high voltage (50 V) and low concentrations of electrolyte (0.04 and 0.1 mol/L NaOH) led to origin of white coloured oxide coatings, while lower voltage (4 and 6 V) and higher concentrations of electrolyte promote the origin of black coloured oxide coatings. Concentration of electrolyte and voltage influenced the thickness of conversion coatings and its surface morphology. Moreover, the surface morphology of the coatings was also influenced by the heterogeneity of substrate alloy.

Durability of Amorphous and Crystalline BMAS Thermal Barrier Coatings Produced by Plasma Spraying

Barium-Magnesium-Aluminium-Silicate (BMAS) powder was produced from a mixture of initial compounds BaO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 by means of solid state synthesis at the temperature of 1200 °C for 3 hours in a laboratory furnace. Synthetized powder was crushed into the fraction of 15-45 μm in a planetary ball mill. Thermal barrier coating system consisting of CoNiCrAlY (bond coat) and BMAS (top coat) was sprayed by atmospheric plasma spray technique onto the polycrystalline nickel-based superalloy substrate. During plasma spraying process, the BMAS underwent phase transformation and the amorphous phase within the top coat was produced. Therefore, after the spraying, several samples were crystallized via annealing in a furnace (4 hours at 1200 °C or 24 hours at 1000 °C) or by subjecting them to several passes of plasma jet. Both samples with an amorphous phase and fully-crystallized samples were subjected to the fire in a burner-rig test (propane-oxygen flame, single 3 + 3 minute cycle), where the top coat reached the temperature of 1150 °C. Top coat failure occurred during the cooling period due to the transformation of the amorphous phase into the crystalline one and/or due to the difference in thermal conductivity and expansion between the top coat and the bond coat.