Process for extending the cyclic service life of thermal barrier coatings, in particular on gas turbine components

1. A process for extending the cyclic service life of a thermal barrier coating made of a chemical thermal barrier coating composition, which has been applied to a substrate with an oxidizing bond coat in between, the thermal barrier coating includes microcracks, which are bridged by punctiform contact locations, the process comprising:

improving a strain tolerance of the thermal barrier coating by weakening the punctiform contact locations in the thermal barrier coating,

wherein the thermal barrier coating is an open-pore coating having SiO 2 as an impurity at an inner surface of the open-pore coating and further sinter-active oxidic impurities, and wherein the weakening of the punctiform contact locations includes decomposing the SiO 2 and further sinter-active oxidic impurities.

2. The process as recited in claim 1 , wherein the decomposing is effected chemically.

3. The process as recited in claim 2 , wherein the decomposing is performed in an HF-containing gas phase of a fluoride ion cleaning installation.

4. The process as recited in claim 3 , further comprising conducting a fluoride ion cleaning process using partial pressure, HF gas content, temperature and time profile, in such a way that only the microcontacts are selectively weakened.

5. The process as recited in claim 2 , wherein the decomposing is effected using a hydrofluoric acid solution in vapor form.

6. The process as recited in claim 5 , wherein the decomposing is performed in an autoclave.

7. The process as recited in claim 2 , wherein the decomposing is effected using an aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution in a chemical bath.