Determining Interface Fracture Toughness in Multi Layered Environmental Barrier Coatings with Laser Textured Silicon Bond Coat

In the high temperature combustion atmosphere inside of aircraft turbines, the currently used ceramic matrix composites require a protective environmental barrier coating (EBC) to mitigate corrosion of the turbine parts. Besides thermomechanical and thermochemical properties like matching thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) and a high resistance against corrosive media, mechanical properties like a high adhesion strength are also necessary for a long lifetime of the EBC. In the present work, the adhesion between an air plasma sprayed silicon bond coat and a vacuum plasma sprayed ytterbium disilicate topcoat was aimed to be enhanced by a laser surface structuring of the Si bond coat. An increase in interface toughness was assumed, since the introduction of structures would lead to an increased mechanical interlocking at the rougher bond coat interface. The interface toughness was measured by a new testing method, which allows the testing of specific interfaces. The results demonstrate a clear increase of the toughness from an original bond coat/topcoat interface (8.6 J/m2) compared to a laser structured interface (14.7 J/m2). Observations in the crack propagation indicates that the laser structuring may have led to a strengthening of the upper bond coat area by sintering. Furthermore, in addition to cohesive failure components, adhesive components can also be observed, which could have influenced the determined toughness.