Factors Influencing Residual Stresses in Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Thermal Barrier Coatings

To improve gas turbine and diesel engine performance using thermal barrier coatings (TBC's) requires an understanding of the factors that influence the in-service behavior of thermal barrier coatings. One of the many factors related to coating performance is the state of stress in the coating. The total stress state is composed of the stresses due to the in-service loading history and the residual stresses. Residual stresses have been shown to affect TBC life, the bond strength of thermal spray coatings, and the fatigue life of tungsten carbide coatings. Residual stresses are first introduced in TBC's by the spraying process due to elevated temperatures during processing and the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion of the top coat, bond coat, and substrate. Later, the residual stresses can be changed by the in-service temperature history due to a number of time and temperature dependent mechanisms, such as oxidation, creep, and sintering. Silica content has also been shown to affect sintering and the cyclic life of thermal barrier coatings. Thus, it is important to understand how the spraying process, the in-service thermal cycles, and the silica content can create and alter residual stresses in thermal barrier coatings.