سعید تقی رمضانی

The purpose of this research is to investigate the performance of vertical cracks along the thickness of YSZ-40%wtAl2O3 coating and to improve the resistance to oxidation and thermal shock of thermal barrier coatings by creating a layer of YSZ-Al2O3 applied on the YSZ by atmospheric plasma spraying. In this research, YSZ-40%wtAl2O3 powder was synthesized using co-precipitation process and then applied on the YSZ by atmospheric plasma spraying process. High temperature oxidation test at 1100 ˚C and thermal shock test at 1000 ˚C were performed. The structural and phase characteristics of the coatings were investigated using optical microscope, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The structural comparison of the samples showed that the use of the YSZ-40%wtAl2O3 eutectic compound due to the decrease in the melting temperature of the compound and the increase in the melting which brings the proper contact between the splats. This coating showed 18.6% increase in oxidation resistance compared to conventional TBC. Also, the findings showed that the decomposition of the un-pyrolysed precursor in the coating structure of YSZ-40%wtAl2O3 leads to the creation of vertical cracks in the coating structure, which as the oxidation time increases, the number of vertical cracks with a certain distance in the coating structure will also increase. Also, the suitability of the vertical cracks created in the YSZ-40%wtAl2O3 coating, in terms of stress tolerance, increases the ability of the coating to release the stresses during thermal cycles and finally leads to increase in the durability of the coating.

Solution precursor thermal Spraying (SPTS) processes are suitable methods for producing nano-structured coatings. Due to the uncompleted reactions such as solvent evaporation and pyrolysis of the precursor, achieving coatings with controlled properties at a satisfactory precipitation rate remains an important challenge in these processes that needs to precise control of spray parameters. In this study, in order to investigate the effect of Solution precursor high velocity flame spraying parameters such as fuel and oxygen content, spraying distance and solution injection rate, single-scan spraying test was performed on glass substrates. The morphology of the formed splats and their structural characteristics were investigated using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Structural comparison in the single-scan spraying test performed in two ratios of fuel to oxygen, showed that in the flame parameter with oxygen pressure of 6 bar and fuel 3 bar at the injection rate of Solution precursor 20 cm3/min and spray distance of 5 cm was selected as the optimal parameter. In this parameter, due to the low injection rate of the solution and higher heat transfer per drop of the solution precursor and completion of processes that resulting in melting and crystallization, the number of splats increased. Also, evaluation of single-scan spraying in the flame with oxygen pressure of 8 bar and fuel bar of 4 bar and spray distance of 5 cm showed that the injection rate of 40 cm3/min solution precursor would be more appropriate due to increasing the number of fine splats and improving coating efficiency.

In this research, the properties of the coating applied by conventional plasma spray and with inert gas shroud has been studied and compared, in the way that nozzle like part attached to plasma gun in order to protect the plasma jet by exiting nitrogen from the nozzle. The Microstructural characterization of the coatings was performed by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectroscope. Hardness of coatings is also measured by Vickers method under the applied load of 30 gram-force. Isothermal oxidation and thermal shock tests are done at 1000 and 950ºC respectively. Post-spray results show that the use of nitrogen gas shroud is useful and coating achieved by nitrogen shroud has less oxide and porosity and has more homogeneous structure. Results from isothermal oxidation show that TGO layer growth rate in the specimen sprayed by nitrogen shroud is less. Thermal shock test shows that the specimen sprayed by nitrogen shroud has more resistance against thermal shock due to layer by layer and regular growth of TGO and having less oxide and porosity in comparison with the same specimen sprayed without nitrogen shroud. Also, the microhardness of sprayed coating without nitrogen shroud was 35 Vikers more than the applied coating with nitrogen shroud.

In this research, firstly amorphous Alumina powder was produced by co-precipitation method. Then YSZ/Al2O3 coatings were applied by plasma spraying process in two types of pyrolyzed and crystalline nano-alumina. High temperature oxidation and thermal shock resistance test were done at 1100˚C. Microstructure and phase analysis of coatings were studied by optical and electron microscopes and XRD method. Comparison of the microstructure of coatings showed that the use of crystalline nano-alumina powder in the YSZ/Alumina layer composite upgrades the thermal properties. High temperature oxidation and thermal shock resistance of plasma sprayed YSZ/Al2O3 with un-pyrolysed nano-alumina and coatings with same composition with crystalline nano-alumina to created by plasma spraying were studied. Findings showed that the use of un-pyrolyzed nano-alumina powder in YSZ/Al2O3 layer composite resulted in increased porosity and shrinkage cavities in the coating, which increased the diffusion of O2 that causes the TGO growth rate. Also, high density and proper contact between the splats made of crystalline nano-alumina powder results in higher resistance of thermal cycles.

In this research, NiCrAlY powder was applied on steel, and Hastelloy X substrates with solid shielding shrouded plasma spray (SSPS) process and compared with atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The high-temperature oxidation test was also performed on the coatings, and the microstructure of coatings was studied by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To investigate the influence of the SSPS process on the properties of metallic coatings, variable parameters; such as type of shroud gas (Ar, H2), the gas injection method (internal, external or simultaneous) and the flow rate of that, were examined. During the use of shroud gas, the temperature of the plasma jet has increased significantly. The oxidation test results showed the proper performance of NiCrAlY coating under the protection of argon internal shroud gas with a flow rate of 75SLPM, which was able to perform the best plasma flame protection during spraying. It can lead to a reduction in oxide and porosity of coating up to 8%. Also, the lowest thermally grown oxide (TGO) thickness was obtained for this sample after 200 hours of oxidation, indicating its excellent performance in maintaining the Al for the formation of the continuous α-Al2O3 layer during high-temperature oxidation.

In this research, a double layer thermal barrier coating was applied and then an alumina diffusion barrier layer was deposited on the YSZ by two solution precersore plasma and solution precersore flame spraying. High temperature oxidation and thermal shock resistance tests were done at 1100˚C. Microstructure of coatings were studied by optical Microscopy and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. Comparison of the microstructures of coatings showed that applying of Alumina with the solution precursor flame spray process upgrades the thermal properties. High temperature oxidation and thermal shock resistance of YSZ/Al2O3 coatings with Alumina applied by the solution precersoure thermal spray with the same compound were studied. Findings showed that applying alumina with the solution precursor flame spray process leads to increase the amount of the deposited splats and proper contact between them, causes to decrease the diffusion of O2 and as a result TGO thickness decreases and also thermal shock resistance increases.