Microwave and induction heat treatment of ceramic coatings

1. A method comprising:

loading a metal article comprising a ceramic coating and a native oxide layer between the metal article and the ceramic coating into an induction heating system;

positioning an inductive plate of the induction heating system at a distance from a surface of the ceramic coating that does not touch the surface of the ceramic coating;

applying an alternating current to the inductive plate to generate eddy currents in the metal article, wherein the eddy currents in the metal article heat up at least a portion of the metal article and at least a portion of the ceramic coating on the metal article to a temperature range between about 400° C. and about 2000° C. at a ramping rate of about 2-500° C. per minute; and

performing a heat treatment on the ceramic coating at one or more temperatures within the temperature range for a duration of about 1-15 minutes, wherein at least two of the native oxide layer, the ceramic coating, or a surface of the metal article react during the heat treatment to form an intermediate layer comprising an alloy of at least two of the native oxide layer, the ceramic coating or the surface of the metal article, and wherein the intermediate layer acts as a diffusion barrier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic coating is a plasma sprayed ceramic coating that has a thickness of 2-20 mils, an initial porosity of about 0.5-10%, an initial surface roughness, and an initial amount of cracking, and wherein after the heat treating the ceramic coating has a reduced porosity that is below the initial porosity, a reduced surface roughness that is below the initial surface roughness, and a reduced amount of cracking that is below the initial amount of cracking.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the metal article comprises aluminum;

the native oxide layer comprises Al 2 O 3 ;

the ceramic coating is selected from a group consisting of Y 2 O 3 , Y 4 Al 2 O 9 , Y 3 Al 5 O 12 , Er 2 O 3 , Er 4 Al 2 O 9 , Er 3 Al 5 O 12 , a solid solution of Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 , a solid solution of Y 2 O 3 —Er 2 O 3 , and a ceramic compound comprising Y 4 Al 2 O 9 and a solid-solution of Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 ; and

the intermediate layer is selected from a group consisting of Y 4 Al 2 O 9 , Y 3 Al 5 O 12 , Er 4 Al 2 O 9 , Er 3 Al 5 O 12 , and a ceramic compound comprising Y 4 Al 2 O 9 and a solid-solution of Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 .

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the heat treatment the native oxide layer has a thickness of 5-10 nm, and wherein after the heat treatment an entirety of the native oxide layer is consumed and the intermediate layer has a thickness of 50-100 nm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a porosity of less than 1%.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

positioning an electrically conductive plate between the inductive plate and the ceramic coating, wherein the electrically conductive plate is positioned a second distance from the ceramic coating that does not touch the ceramic coating, wherein the alternating current applied to the inductive plate causes additional eddy currents in the electrically conductive plate, wherein the eddy currents in the electrically conductive plate heat up the electrically conductive plate and at least a surface of the ceramic coating to the temperature range between about 400° C. and about 2000° C. at the ramping rate of about 2-500° C. per minute.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat treating causes the ceramic coating to heat starting from an interface of the native oxide layer with the metal article.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

depositing the ceramic coating onto the metal article comprising the native oxide layer prior to loading the metal article into the induction heating system, wherein the ceramic coating is deposited using a deposition technique selected from a group consisting of atomic layer deposition, ion assisted deposition and plasma spraying.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inductive plate comprises a plurality of heating zones, and wherein each of the plurality of heating zones can be subject to a distinct alternating current to produce a distinct temperature in a proximate portion of the ceramic coating.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises an alloy of the native oxide layer, the ceramic coating, and the surface of the metal article.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises an alloy of the native oxide layer and the ceramic coating.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises an alloy of the native oxide layer and the surface of the metal article.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises an alloy of the surface of the metal article and the ceramic coating.