Abradable coatings are typically applied on the compressor section of gas turbines to reduce air leakage and increase compressor performance. In pursuit of engine efficiency, the service temperatures of the components are higher than before. The use of nickel-graphite coating in compressor applications in higher temperature environments diminishes the abradable property of the coating. In the current study, a series of abradable coatings were prepared with combustion and plasma spray methods and tested at gas turbine conditions. Coating microstructure, hardness, abradability, and erosion resistance was investigated and compared against conventional nickel-graphite coating. In addition, coatings were aged to mimic the aging cycle in industrial gas turbines and compared to as-sprayed coating properties.

Abradability, erosion and steam oxidation tests were conducted on commercial and experimental abradable coatings in order to evaluate their suitability for applications in steam turbines. Steam oxidation tests were carried out on free-standing top coat samples as well as coating systems consisting of a bond and an abradable top coat. Mapping of the abradability performance under widely varied seal strip incursion conditions was carried out for a candidate abradable coating that showed good steam oxidation performance in combination with good erosion resistance. The abradability tests were carried out on a specially designed test rig at elevated temperatures. The steam oxidation analysis combined with the abradability mapping results provide a potentially improved seal coating system that can be integrated into existing steam turbine designs for various seal locations. Such design integration is easily achieved and can be applied to steam turbine components that are sprayed in dedicated coating shops or even at the site of final turbine assembly.