High performance environmental barrier coatings, Part I: Passive filler loaded SiCN system for steel

A novel environmental barrier coating system for steel consisting of a perhydropolysilazane (PHPS) bond coat and a polysilazane-based glass/ceramic composite top coat has been developed. After stabilising the coating slurries, double layers were applied on mild and stainless steel substrates by the dip-coating technique. Parameters like pre-treatment of the steel substrates, filler systems, particle size of the fillers or coating thickness were varied to optimize the coatings. The thermal treatment was performed in air at temperatures up to 800 °C. Microstructural analysis by SEM and XRD revealed the formation of a coating system consisting of a SiNO bond coat and a ZrO2-filled glass/ceramic top coat. A uniform, well adherent, dense and crack-free coating system with a noteworthy thickness up to 100 μm was achieved. Even after cyclic oxidation tests on coated samples at 700 °C the coating system was still undamaged and no oxidation occurred on the mild steel substrates.