Introduction

Small/fine particulates (such as sand, dust, and/or ash) can pass through the cold-section, enter the combustor where the particulates undergo a phase transformation and melt, impinge on the high-pressure turbine components, adhere to the protective thermal/environmental barrier coatings (T/EBCs), infiltrate into these porous coatings, and solidify into a glassy coating that continues to react with and degrade the T/EBC material(s). The articles published in this issue have garnered over 980 citations (from Google Scholar) to date. Since that issue, there have been pivotal advances in the field of coating deposition and the understanding of the CMAS – T/EBC reaction kinetics. [...]we are very grateful to both the authors and reviewers of the many high-quality manuscripts submitted to this JMR Focus Issue on Sand-phobic Thermal/Environmental Barrier Coatings for Gas Turbine Engines.