Novel nanostructured ceramic coatings for extreme aerospace application

 Economic and environmental concerns, are the main driving force behind the ever increasing demand for higher gas turbine engine inlet temperatures critical for meeting NASA goals and objectives. New light-weight and high-strength high-temperature materials are needed to replace performance-limited metallic-based turbine components. Ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials are attractive candidates for turbine hot-section components. However, direct exposure to combustion environments leads to degradation via corrosion, volatilization and associated surface recession. To protect against these phenomena, multilayered thermal and environmental barrier coatings (T/EBCs) systems are required to increase thermal, erosion and corrosion protection and durability through cyclic operation to temperatures in excess of 1600°C and in presence of water vapor. The aim of this NASA-EPSCoR (MSGC) project is to improve fundamental understanding of high-temperature corrosion mechanisms of novel inexpensive, durable, high temperature thin (1-5 mm) single-layered YSZ based coatings that will serve both as environmental and thermal barrier coating (TEBC)within combustion environments. TEBC systems will be deposited on as-received and pre-oxidized CMC substrates using physical vapor deposition equipment in the Montana Microfabrication Facility. Research will focus on deposition process optimization and characterization of TEBC and TEBC/CMC interface structure-properties-performance relationships, and their evolution in combustion environments using instruments in the Image and Chemical Analysis Laboratory and the PI’s laboratory. The PI and students will work closely with and visit researchers at NASA-Glenn Research Center (Protective Coatings Branch) to discuss TEBC materials, testing methods, results and analysis. Project results will be leveraged to secure follow-on funding from NASA and other Federal agencies.

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