Thermal/environmental barrier coating system for silicon-based materials

A coating system for a substrate containing a silicon-based material, such as silicon carbide-containing ceramic matrix materials containing silicon carbide and used to form articles exposed to high temperatures, including the hostile thermal environment of a gas turbine engine. The coating system includes a layer of barium strontium aluminosilicate (BSAS) as a bond coat for a thermal-insulating top coat. As a bond coat, the BSAS layer serves to adhere the top coat to a SiC-containing substrate. The BSAS bond coat exhibits sufficient environmental resistance such that, if the top coat should spall, the BSAS bond coat continues to provide a level of environmental protection to the underlying SiC-containing substrate.