• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.445-452
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• 2013

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings are fabricated via suspension plasma spray (SPS) for thermal barrier applications. Three different suspension sets are prepared by using a planetary mill as well as ball mill in order to examine the effect of starting suspension on the phase evolution and the microstructure of SPS prepared coatings. In the case of planetary-milled commercial YSZ powder, a deposited thick coating turns out to have a dense, vertically-cracked microstructure. In addition, a dense YSZ coating with fully developed phase can be obtained via suspension plasma spray with suspension from planetary-milled mixture of $Y_2O_3$ and $ZrO_2$.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.395-402
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• 2015

The suspension plasma spray (SPS) technique has been used to obtain dense $Y_2O_3$ coatings and to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional air plasma spray (APS). SPS uses suspensions containing micrometer or sub-micrometer sized powders dispersed in liquid media. In this study, microstructure developments and mechanical properties have been investigated as functions of particle size of source material and plasma processing parameters such as plasma power and stand-off distance. The microstructure of the coating was found to be highly related to the particle size and the plasma processing parameters, and it was directly reflected in the hardness and the adhesion strength. When fine powder (BET $16.4m^2/g$) was used as a raw material in the suspension, there was, with increasing stand-off distance, a change from a dense structure with a slightly bumpy surface to a porous structure with a cauliflower-like surface. On the other hand, when a coarse powder (BET $2.8m^2/g$) was used, the coating density was lower, with microscopic splats on the surface. Using fine $Y_2O_3$ powders, the coating layer with an optimum short stand-off distance showed a high hardness of approximately 90% of that of sintered $Y_2O_3$ and an adhesion strength several times higher than that of the coating by conventional APS.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.359-364
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• 2019

The suspension plasma spraying is a modification of conventional plasma spray techniques that has been developed to overcome the challenge of using fine particles in plasma spray processes. In this study, microstructure developments and mechanical property of yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) coatings prepared by the suspension plasma spray coating technique have been investigated to determine the effect of processing parameters including plasma gun current and total gas flow. The results showed that a highly dense Y₂O₃ coating having low porosity of 0.2 vol% without any lamellar structures can be achieved at the optimum condition of gun current 200 A and total gas flow 220 L/min.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.641-646
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• 2016

The effects of water addition on $Y_2O_3$ coatings or thick films prepared by plasma suspension spray (SPS) have been investigated. Water addition in suspension media was found to be effective to control the color of a $Y_2O_3$ coating prepared by SPS. The color changed with water addition at the shortest stand-off distance of 50 mm even if samples had the same crystalline phase. Change was not correlated with fragmentation behavior of liquid suspension inside the plasma jet. Water content over 50 vol% was found to produce unmelted particles, indicating that water suppressed heat transfer to the particles. However, plasma jet temperature was not affected. Instead, the coating fabricated with water addition has higher oxygen and lower carbon content compared to these characteristics of the coating without water addition. This was attributed to the retarded complete evaporation of liquid media from the suspension droplet, resulting in inhibition of excessive heating and evaporation of the molten $Y_2O_3$ droplet. In this regard, crystalline phase development with respect to stand-off distance and water addition was discussed.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.604-611
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• 2016

In order to comply with demand for high efficient gas turbines operating at higher temperatures, considerable amounts of research efforts have been performed with searching for the next-generation thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with respect to coating materials as well as processing methods. In this study, thermal barrier coatings in the $(La_{1-x}Gd_x)_2Zr_2O_7$ system, which is one of the most versatile materials replacing yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), are fabricated by suspension plasma spray with suspension made of synthesized powders via solidstate reaction. Dense, $100{\sim}400{\mu}m$ thick coatings of fluorite-phase zirconate with moderate amount of segmented microstructures are obtained by using suspension plasma spray. Phase formation and thermal diffusivity are characterized with coating compositions. The feasibility of $(La_{1-x}Gd_x)_2Zr_2O_7$ coatings for TBC applications is also discussed.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.316-322
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• 2014

With increase in demand for higher operating temperatures of gas turbines, extensive research efforts have been carried out to enhance the performance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) in the field of coating processing as well as materials. In this study, thermal barrier coatings in lanthanum/gadolinium zirconate system, which is one of the most promising candidates for replacing yttira-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) in thermal barrier coating applications, are fabricated via suspension plasma spray. Dense, $300{\sim}400{\mu}m$ thick coatings of fluoritephase zirconate with modest amount of segmented microstructures are obtained by using suspension plasma spray with suspensions of planetary-milled mixture between lanthanum and/or gadolinium oxide and nano zirconia. These coatings exhibit thermal conductivities of 1.6 ~ 1.7 W/mK at $1000^{\circ}C$, which is relatively lower than that of YSZ.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.710-715
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• 2017

We synthesized YOF(yttirum oxyfluoride) powders through solid state reactions using $Y_2O_3$ and $YF_3$ as raw materials. The synthesis of crystalline YOF was started at $300^{\circ}C$ and completed at $500^{\circ}C$. The atmosphere during synthesis had a negligible effect on the synthesis of the YOF powder under the investigated temperature range. The particle size distribution of the YOF was nearly identical to that of the mixed $Y_2O_3$ and $YF_3$ powders. When the synthesized YOF powders were used as a raw material for the suspension plasma spray(SPS) coating, the crystalline phases of the coated layer consisted of YOF and $Y_2O_3$, indicating that oxidation or evaporation of YOF powders occurred during the coating process. Based on thermogravimetric analysis, the crystalline formation appeared to be affected by the evaporation of fluoride because of the high vapor pressure of the YOF material.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.315-321
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• 2015

Rare-earth zirconates, such as $La_2Zr_2O_7$ and $Gd_2Zr_2O_7$, have been investigated as one of the candidates for replacing conventional yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for thermal barrier coating (TBC) applications at higher turbine inlet temperatures. In this study, double-ceramic-layer (DCL) TBCs of YSZ 1st layer and $La_2Zr_2O_7$ top coat layer are fabricated by suspension plasma spray with serial liquid feeders. Microstructures, hardness profiles, and thermal durability of DCL-TBCs are also characterized. Fabricated DCL-TBCs of YSZ/$La_2Zr_2O_7$ exhibit excellent properties, such as adhesion strength (>25 MPa) and electrical thermal fatigue (~1429 cycles), which are comparable with TBCs fabricated by atmospheric plasma spray.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.595-603
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• 2016

Rare-earth zirconates, including lanthanum zirconate and gadolinium zirconate, have been investigated as ones of the most promising candidates for next-generation thermal barrier coating (TBC) materials due to their excellent properties such as low thermal conductivity, chemical stability at high temperature and so on. In this study, TBCs with three compositions, in the $La_2O_3-Gd_2O_3-ZrO_2$ system with reduced rare-earth contents from $RE_2Zr_2O_7$ compositions, were fabricated by using suspension plasma spray with different suspension preparation methods. The phase formation, microstructure, and thermal properties of TBCs were examined. In particular, each coating exhibited single fluorite phase and a dense, vertically-separated microstructure. The potential of coatings with rare-earth zirconates for TBC applications was also discussed.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.453-459
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• 2013

Lanthanum/gadolinium zirconate coatings are deposited via suspension plasma spray with suspensions fabricated by a planetary mill and compared with hot-pressed samples via solid-state reaction. With increase in processing time of the planetary mill, the mean size and BET surface area change rapidly in the case of lanthanum oxide powder. By using suspensions of planetary-milled mixture between lanthanum or gadolinium oxide and nano zirconia, dense thick coatings with fully-developed pyrochlore phases are obtained. The possibilities of these SPS-prepared coatings for TBC application are also discussed.