Gearing Up Solution Precursor Plasma Spray of YAG TBCs for Production

To date we have shown that yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) made by the solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process have a full range of desirable properties compared to YSZ including, superior cyclic furnace tests lives, lower thermal conductivity, better CMAS resistance, better[CJ1] small particle erosion resistance, much less increase in thermal conductivity by sintering and most significantly higher allowable service temperature. Experimental data showing these favorable properties of SPPS YAG TBCs will be reviewed. In producing SPPS coatings for commercial use, other factors become important including deposition rate, deposition efficiency , standoff distance and repeatability. This presentation will also discuss progress made in these production relevant aspects of the SPPS process. Because the SPPS process shares similar characteristics with the suspension plasma spray process, some of the results presented will provide relevance to the SPS process as well. [CJ1]Should we be cautious about this statement?