Investigation about thermophysical properties of Ln{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}O{sub 7} (Ln = Sm, Er and Yb) oxides for thermal barrier coatings

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► We successfully prepared three types of new rare earth cerium oxides. ► We measured their thermophysical properties. ► These new ceramics can be explored as candidate ceramics for thermal barrier coatings. -- Abstract: Three kinds of rare earth cerium oxides – Ln{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}O{sub 7} (Ln = Sm, Er and Yb) were prepared by solid state reaction method. Their phase compositions, microstructures and thermophysical properties were investigated. Results of X-ray diffraction reveal that pure Ln{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}O{sub 7} (Ln = Sm, Er and Yb) oxides with fluorite structure are successfully synthesized in the current research. Scanning electrical microscopy results show that their microstructures are dense and no other un-reacted oxides or inter-phases exist in the interfaces between grains. Their thermal expansion coefficients are higher than those of YSZ, while their thermal conductivities are lower than those of YSZ. The decreasing ionic radius from Sm{sup 3+} to Yb{sup 3+} results in the descending thermal expansion coefficients from Sm{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}O{sub 7} to Yb{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}O{sub 7}. The effective phonon scattering by atomic weight difference contributes to the decreasing thermal conductivities from Sm{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}O{sub 7} to Yb{sub 2}Ce{sub 2}O{sub 7}. These results imply that synthesized rare earth cerium oxides have potentials to be used as novel candidate materials for thermal barrier coatings in the future.