High-temperature oxidation behavior and analysis of impedance spectroscopy of 7YSZ thermal barrier coating prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition

Quasi-columnar structure 7YSZ (yttria stabilized zirconia) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD) onto pretreated and un-pretreated bond coating, respectively. An isothermal oxidation experiment of 7YSZ TBCs is carried out in the atmosphere of 950 °C in order to simulate the high-temperature oxidation process of engine blades. The isothermal oxidation process of 7YSZ thermal barrier coatings is investigated systematically by impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical physical model and equivalent circuit of columnar 7YSZ coatings are established. Results show that the isothermal oxidation kinetic curve of columnar 7YSZ thermal barrier coatings appears to follow the parabolic law. A pretreatment of bond coating can reduce the growth rate of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) layer, restraining the initiation and propagation of microcracks between YSZ and TGO layers. The oxidation rate constants of 7YSZ coatings with pretreated and un-pretreated bond coating are 0.101 × 10−12 cm2·s−1 and 0.115 × 10−13 cm2·s−1, respectively. Impedance analysis shows that the content of oxygen vacancies decreases and the density increases after the TGO layer is oxidized for 150 h. In addition, shrinkage microcracks formed by sintering during the oxidation process is the main reason for an increase of the capacitance and a decrease of the resistance in the grain boundary of YSZ.