Thermal-gradient testing of thermal barrier coatings under simultaneous attack by molten glassy deposits and its mitigation

Degradation of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) in gas-turbine engines by molten calcium–magnesium–aluminosilicate (CMAS) glassy deposits is becoming a pressing issue, as engines are required to operate under increasingly harsh conditions. While new approaches for mitigating CMAS attack of TBCs are starting to emerge, there is a need for appropriate tests for evaluating the efficacy of those approaches. To that end, we present here a new thermal-cycling test for the evaluation of TBC performance, where a thermal gradient is applied across the TBC, with simultaneous injection of CMAS. The conditions simulated in this new test are closer to actual conditions in an engine, as compared to the conventional furnace test without thermal gradient. This new test is applied to a TBC with a new composition designed for mitigating CMAS attack, where the mitigation mechanisms are observed to be similar to those found in the conventional furnace test. However, based on a previously established mechanics model it is shown here that thermal-gradient cyclic testing is essential for evaluating thermomechanical performance of TBCs under attack by CMAS, and that the use of just the conventional furnace test can lead to the underestimation of the TBC performance.