Environmental Barrier Coating Oxidation and Adhesion Strength

Plasma spray-physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD) environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) of Yb2Si2O7 were deposited on SiC and exposed in a steam environment (90% H2O/O2) at 1426 °C to form a thermally grown oxide (TGO) layer between the substrate and EBC. In advanced ceramic material systems such as coated ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), the TGO layer is the weak interface and directly influences component lifetimes. The effects of surface roughness and TGO thickness on the adhesion strength were evaluated by mechanical testing of the coatings after exposure. Morphology and oxide layer thickness were analyzed with electron microscopy while the composition and crystal structure were tracked with X-ray diffraction. The strength of the system is evaluated with respect to oxidation rate to give a qualitative understanding of coating durability.