Method of pressure sintering an environmental barrier coating on a surface of a ceramic substrate

1. A method of pressure sintering an environmental barrier coating on a surface of a ceramic substrate to form an article, said method comprising the steps of:

A. etching the surface of the ceramic substrate to texture the surface;

B. disposing an environmental barrier coating on the etched surface of the ceramic substrate wherein the environmental barrier coating comprises a rare earth silicate and sacrificial particles having an average particle size of about 10 microns to about 20 microns and is free of cordierite; and

C. pressure sintering the environmental barrier coating on the etched surface of the ceramic substrate in an inert or nitrogen atmosphere at a pressure of from about 20 psi to about 100 psi such that at least a portion of the environmental barrier coating is disposed in the texture of the surface of the ceramic substrate and such that the environmental barrier coating is disposed on and in direct contact with the substrate thereby forming the article; and

wherein said step of pressure sintering is conducted in a furnace.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the environmental barrier coating is disposed on and in direct contact with the surface of the ceramic substrate such that there is no oxide layer and/or silica layer disposed between the environmental barrier coating and the surface of the ceramic substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the article exhibits less than about a 50 percent debit in flexural strength as compared to a ceramic substrate that is free of the environmental barrier coating, as determined using ASTM C1161.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the article exhibits an adhesion of greater than about 1,000 psi as determined using ASTM C633 measured after exposure to steam at a temperature of about 1200° C. for a time of greater than about 2,000 hours.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of pressure sintering produces a mass of the environmental barrier coating comprising from about 0.1 to about 20 weight percent of liquid glass based on a total weight of the environmental barrier coating and said liquid glass is disposed in the texture of the surface of the ceramic substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of pressure sintering occurs at a temperature of from about 1400° C. to about 1700° C.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the environmental barrier coating has a thickness of from about 0.5 mils to about 20 mils after said step of pressure sintering.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the environmental barrier consists essentially of the rare earth silicate.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure is from about 25 psi to about 75 psi.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial particles are chosen from polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene spheres, organic spheres, or combinations thereof.

11. A method of pressure sintering an environmental barrier coating on a surface of a ceramic substrate to form an article, said method comprising the steps of:

A. etching the surface of the ceramic substrate;

B. disposing an environmental barrier coating on the etched surface of the ceramic substrate wherein the environmental barrier coating comprises ytterbium silicate and sacrificial particles having an average particle size of about 10 microns to about 20 microns and is free of cordierite; and

C. pressure sintering the environmental barrier coating on the etched surface of the ceramic substrate in a furnace utilizing an inert or nitrogen atmosphere at a pressure of from about 20 psi to about 100 psi, at a temperature of from about 1400° C. to about 1700° C., and for a time of from about 1 to about 60 minutes, such that at least a portion of the environmental barrier coating is disposed in the texture of the surface of the ceramic substrate and such that the environmental barrier coating is disposed on and in direct contact with the substrate thereby forming the article,

wherein said step of pressure sintering produces a mass of the environmental barrier coating comprising from about 0.1 to about 20 weight percent of liquid glass and said liquid glass is disposed in the texture of the surface of the ceramic substrate;

wherein the environmental barrier coating has a thickness of from about 0.5 mils to about 20 mils after said step of pressure sintering,

wherein the article exhibits less than a 50 percent debit in flexural strength as compared to a ceramic substrate that is free of the environmental barrier coating, as determined using ASTM C1161, and

wherein the article exhibits an adhesion of greater than about 1,000 psi as determined using ASTM C633 measured after exposure to steam at a temperature of about 1200° C. for a time of greater than about 2,000 hours.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the environmental barrier coating is disposed on and in direct contact with the surface of the ceramic substrate such that there is no oxide layer and/or silica layer disposed between the environmental barrier coating and the surface of the ceramic substrate.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the environmental barrier consists essentially of the rare earth silicate.