Thermal barrier coating material with enhanced toughness

1. A multiphase ceramic for a thermal barrier coating comprising:

a first phase formed from a zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) stabilized with a neodymium oxide, the first phase performing either transforming toughening or ferroelastic toughening; and

a second phase formed from a magnetoplumbite-based aluminate that is chemically compatible with the first phase and performs crack bridging, the second phase being dispersed within the first phase.

2. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the magnetoplumbite-based aluminate is LnAl 11 O 18 , and Ln is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, and Sm.

3. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the magnetoplumbite-based aluminate is NdAl 11 O 18 .

4. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the magnetoplumbite-based aluminate is present in a mole fraction between about 10% to less than 50% on the basis of the total volume of the ceramic.

5. A thermally insulated component for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a substrate configured to receive a coating; and

a low thermal conductivity ceramic coating deposited upon a surface of the substrate, the ceramic coating including a first phase formed from a zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) stabilized with neodymium oxide and performing either transforming toughening or ferroelastic toughening, and a second phase dispersed within the first phase and formed from a magnetoplumbite-based aluminate that is chemically compatible with the first phase and performs crack bridging.

6. A method for fabricating a multiphase ceramic, the method comprising:

preparing a composition including neodymium oxide, a magnetoplumbite-based aluminate, and zirconium oxide;

forming, from the composition, a first phase from a the zirconium oxide stabilized by the neodymium oxide, the first phase configured to perform either transforming toughening or ferroelastic toughening; and

forming a second phase from the magnetoplumbite-based aluminate that is chemically compatible with the first phase, the second phase configured to perform crack bridging.

7. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) is tetragonally stabilized.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising forming a thermal barrier coating from the first phase and the second phase.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising forming a powder from the first phase and the second phase.

10. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the zirconium oxide stabilized with the neodymium oxide is in the form of tetragonal or cubic phase zirconia.

11. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the ceramic is applied as a layer.

12. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein no substantial chemical reaction takes place between the first phase and the second phase.

13. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the first phase and the second phase have approximately the same weight %.

14. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the ceramic includes fluorite and magnetoplumbite-based aluminate.

15. The ceramic of claim 1 wherein the ceramic retains crack resistant at temperatures of 1250° C. and above.

16. The thermally insulated component of claim 5 , wherein the first phase surrounds a plurality of particles formed from the second phase, the second phase being oriented at a plurality of angles with respect to the first phase.

17. The thermally insulated component of claim 5 wherein the magnetoplumbite-based aluminate is LnAl 11 O 18 , and Ln is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, and Sm.

18. The thermally insulated component of claim 5 wherein the magnetoplumbite-based aluminate is NdAl 11 O 18 .

19. The method of claim 6 wherein the magnetoplumbite-based aluminate is LnAl 11 O 18 , and Ln is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, and Sm.

20. The method of claim 6 wherein the magnetoplumbite-based aluminate is NdAl 11 O 18 .