Thermal Barrier Coatings for Hot-Section Parts
Plasma sprayed yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBC) let turbine and nozzle blades run at surface temperatures above 1200 C while reducing base metal temperature by 300-500 C - directly improving thrust and fuel efficiency.
Coverage Across the Engine
- Turbine and nozzle blades: YSZ TBC. Case study: CFM56 engine blades with 2.3x service life after coating.
- Combustor liners: MCrAlY (NiCoCrAlY) anti-oxidation coatings rated to 1100 C, reducing ablation and cracking.
- Compressor blades: HVOF tungsten carbide (WC-Co) at 1200 Hv, five times better sand-erosion resistance.
Why It Works
The low thermal conductivity of YSZ, combined with a controlled porosity structure and a metallic MCrAlY bond coat, insulates the superalloy substrate from the gas path while accommodating thermal expansion mismatch through many service cycles.
