The typical properties of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for industrial gas turbines as well as aero engines are described. The coating deposition process parameters have to be controlled carefully to reduce the wide scatter of physical and mechanical properties reported in the literature. Typical failure mechanisms of TBCs are described, which can be attributed to high residual stresses resulting from the manufacturing process. Oxidation of the bond coating affects significantly long-term behaviour of TBCs resulting in spallation of the alumina scale.
Superimposed mechanical stresses promote crack formation under tensile strains higher than 0.5 % and spallation under compressive stresses. Sintering effects of TBCs above 1000 °C increase Young's modulus of the TBCs and results in phase changes above 1150 °C of the TBC. Service performance evaluation indicates that spallation of EB-
PVD coatings primarily occurs by buckling of the alumina scale formed between the bond coat and the TBC. Keywords: TBCs, physical properties, mechanical properties, EB-PVD, APS, MCrA1Y, alumina scale, Ti-additions, coefficient of thermal expansion