Optimization of Plasma Spray Processing Parameters for Deposition of YSZ+Al2O3 Coating

Abstract Plasma sprayed yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings are being increasingly used as thermal barrier coatings(TBCs) for gas turbine parts. However oxidation problems are critical for durability of TBC. Al2O3 addition to YSZ is considered as an oxygen barrier microstructure at elevated temperature. Therefore it helps to the growth rate of the thermally grown oxide layer between top coat and bond coat. Spray properties and rapid solidification determine the final characteristics of the coating. Plasma current, plasma gas flow rate and spray distance factors have main effect on occurrence of microstructure. Therefore plasma spray parameter optimisation is required for TBC manufacturing. Statistical designs of experiments have been shown to provide efficient approaches to systematically investigate the process parameters of plasma spray process. In this study Al2O3-YSZ particle composite TBC deposited with different plasma spray process parameters by using Taguchi method for optimisation.