This article describes the development and evaluation of a novel atmospheric plasma spray torch designed to overcome limitations in coating internal diameter surfaces. A case study demonstrates the torch's effectiveness in producing high-quality thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for turbine components, applying NiCoCrAlY+HfSi bond coats and 8 wt% YSZ topcoats with appropriate porosity levels. Analysis results confirm that this torch delivers comparable performance to conventional torches while enabling the critical capability of operating in confined geometries, addressing a significant gap in thermal spray applications for gas turbine engine components subjected to extreme operating conditions.

Identifying metallographic TSC artifacts, specifically in air plasma spray zirconia-based thermal barrier coatings.

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with segmented or cracked microstructures exhibit enhanced thermal cyclic behavior and erosion resistance, along with improved application economics, over conventional TBCs.

New thermal and cold spray technologies are being developed to extend the lifespan of thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems at elevated temperatures. This article describes the relevant attributes of coating technologies such as high velocity air fuel, high velocity air plasma spray, and high pressure cold spray for use in TBC systems.

This case study reviews the considerations in applying plasma spray thermal barrier coatings on augmenters used in military aircraft turbine engines to extend their service life.

Vacuum plasma and low pressure plasma spray technologies each provide unique solutions for achieving superior properties in metallic coatings that require low oxide content and high density. Applications include various turbine engine components, as well as biomedical and electronics components.

This article describes work to develop a cost-efficient plasma gun capable of high deposition rates. Engineers analyzed both gun components and gas flow dynamics to design a gun that improves plasma stability. Considerable effort was spent on characterizing the use of the gun for spraying yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for thermal barrier applications.

This article presents a brief overview of thermally sprayed thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) used in gas turbines that generate electrical power.

This article discusses some of the newer thermal barrier coating materials being considered for use in gasified coal-based turbines and how they compare with conventional materials in terms of bond coat oxidation and topcoat damage due to particle erosion and molten ash deposits.

A high-velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) spray gun that operates on conventional (gas or kerosene) fuels as well as liquid-gas combinations is shown to be capable of producing MCrAlY bond coats consisting of a rough surface layer (for adhesion) on a dense base (for oxidation protection).

This article discusses the influence of water vapor on the performance of YSZ thermal barrier coatings, particularly the oxidation resistance of the bond coat.

This article explains how coating technology originally developed for use in nuclear power generating equipment is helping automotive engineers solve heat, wear, and performance challenges using new materials and design approaches.