Failure characteristics and mechanisms of EB-PVD TBCs with Pt-modified NiAl bond coats

Microstructural evolution and failure characteristics/mechanisms were investigated for thermal barrier coatings that consist of electron beam physical vapor deposited ZrO2−8 wt% Y2O3 (YSZ) topcoat, Pt-modified nickel aluminide, (Ni,Pt)Al bond coat, and CMSX-4 superalloy substrate with furnace cycling at 1100 °C with 1-h dwell. Photo stimulated luminescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy equipped with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were employed to examine the residual stress of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) and microstructural changes. For comparison, (Ni,Pt)Al bond coat on CMSX-4 without the YSZ topcoat was also characterized. The TGO grew faster for the YSZ-coated (Ni,Pt)Al bond coat than the (Ni,Pt)Al coating without the YSZ topcoat. Correspondingly, the β-to-γ′/martensite formation in the (Ni,Pt)Al bond coat occurred faster on the YSZ-coated (Ni,Pt)Al bond coat. However the rumpling occurred much faster and with larger amplitude on the (Ni,Pt)Al coating without the YSZ topcoat. Still, the rumpling at the TGO/bond coat interface caused crack initiation as early as 10 thermal cycles, decohesion at the YSZ/TGO interface, and eventual spallation failure primarily through the TGO/bond coat interface. The magnitude of compressive residual stress in the TGO showed an initial increase up to 3−4 GPa followed by a gradual decrease. The rate of stress relaxation was much quicker for the TGO scale without the YSZ topcoat with distinctive relief corresponding to the cracking at the top of geometrical ridges associated with the (Ni,Pt)Al bond coat. The maximum elastic energy for the TGO scale was estimated at 90 J/m2 at 50% of its lifetime (Nf=545 cycles). The YSZ presence/adhesion to the TGO scale is emphasized to minimize the undulation of the TGO/bond coat interface, i.e., decohesion at the YSZ/TGO scale accelerates the rumpling and crack-coalescence at the TGO/bond coat interface where the spallation fracture occurs.