Thermal barrier coating resistant to sintering
View Patent ↗A device ( 10 ) is made, having a ceramic thermal barrier coating layer ( 16 ) characterized by a microstructure having gaps ( 18 ) with a sintering inhibiting material ( 22 ) disposed on the columns ( 20 ) within the gaps ( 18 ). The sintering resistant material ( 22 ) is stable over the range of operating temperatures of the device ( 10 ), is not soluble with the underlying ceramic layer ( 16 ) and is applied by a process that is not an electron beam physical vapor deposition process. The sintering inhibiting material ( 22 ) has a morphology adapted to improve the functionality of the sintering inhibiting material ( 22 ), characterized as continuous, nodule, rivulet, grain, crack, flake and combinations thereof and being disposed within at least some of the vertical and horizontal gaps.
1. A device adapted for use in a high temperature environment in excess of about 1000° C., comprising:
a substrate having a surface;
a ceramic layer disposed on the substrate surface in a manner that provides the ceramic layer with a microstructure characterized by a plurality of vertical and horizontal gaps; and
a sintering inhibiting material having a morphology selected from the group consisting of rivulet, grain, cracked film, flake, nodule and combinations thereof disposed within at least some of the vertical and horizontal gaps.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a bond coat layer is disposed between the substrate and the ceramic layer.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material has a rivulet morphology, with at least one rivulet having a vertical length ranging from about 0.1 micrometer to about the entire length of the vertical gap, a width ranging from about 0.01 micrometer to about one-half the width of the vertical gap, and a thickness of about 0.1 micrometer to about that of the gaps.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material has a grain morphology, with at least one grain having a volume ranging from about 1 cubic micrometer to about 100 cubic micrometers, and a plurality of the grains forming a film with most grains in contact with at least one other grain, the film having a thickness of about 0.1 micrometer to about that of the gaps.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material has a cracked film morphology, with at least one crack having a length that is greater than its width extending along at least a portion of the film and at least partially entering into the film thickness, and the film having a thickness of about 0.1 micrometer to about that of the gaps.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material has a flake morphology, with at least one flake having a surface area ranging from about 0.1 square micrometer to about 10 square micrometers and a thickness that is less than its length and width, and a plurality of flakes forming a film with most flakes in contact or near contact with at least one other flake, the film having a thickness of about 0.1 micrometer to about that of the gaps.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material has a morphology selected from two or more of the group consisting of rivulet, grain, cracked film, nodule and flake.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material forms a film over the vertical and horizontal gaps.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic layer is deposited onto the substrate surface by a deposition method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, and air plasma spraying.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic layer has a microstructure characterized by a columnar structure formed by the vertical gaps, and with the horizontal gaps formed in the columnar structure.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material is stable over a range of temperature from room temperature to the high temperature environment.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material is disposed onto the substrate surface in an unstable phase and subsequently heat treated to obtain a sintering inhibiting material which is stable over a temperature range.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the heat treatment is performed during operation of the device.
14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a component of a combustion turbine.
15. A thermal barrier coating adapted to at least partially coat a substrate for use in a high temperature environment in excess of about 1000° C., comprising:
a ceramic layer disposed on a substrate surface in a manner that provides the ceramic layer with a microstructure characterized by a plurality of vertical and horizontal gaps; and
a sintering inhibiting material having a morphology selected from the group consisting of rivulet, grain, cracked film, flake, nodule and combinations thereof disposed within at least some of the vertical and horizontal gaps.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein a bond coat layer is disposed between the substrate and the ceramic layer.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material has a morphology selected from two or more of the group consisting of rivulet, grain, cracked film and flake.
18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the sintering inhibiting material forms a film over the vertical and horizontal gaps.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the ceramic layer is deposited onto the substrate surface by a deposition method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, and air plasma spraying.
20. A combustion turbine blade adapted to withstand temperature in excess of about 1000° C. for prolonged periods of time, comprising:
a superalloy substrate;
a ceramic layer disposed on the substrate surface in a manner that provides the ceramic layer with a microstructure characterized by a plurality of vertical and horizontal gaps; and
a sintering inhibiting material having a morphology selected from the group consisting of rivulet, grain, cracked film, flake, nodule and combinations thereof disposed within at least some of the vertical and horizontal gaps.