Failure mechanism of EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings on NiAl substrate

Yttria stabilized zirconia(YSZ) was deposited on the line cut β-NiAl substrate by electron-beam physical vapour deposition(EB-PVD), and the cyclic oxidation behaviors of thermal barrier coatings on β-NiAl substrate were investigated in 1 h thermal cycles at 1 200 °C in air. The results show that the samples fail after 80-100 cycles. Sub-interface cavitations in the substrate develop due to depletion of Al in forming thermally grown oxides(TGOs). The collapse and closing up of cavities result in the ragged YSZ/TGO/substrate interface. Since the specific crack trajectories are quite sensitive to local geometry, cracks along the YSZ/TGO/substrate interfaces ultimately lead to YSZ spallation.