Thermal diffusivity/microstructure relationship in Y-PSZ thermal barrier coatings

A set of yttria partially stabilized zirconia coatings with different thickness was deposited on flat nickel-base alloy coupons by air plasma spray (APS) under uncontrolled temperature conditions. In this way, the length of the spraying process (and consequently the coating thickness) had a direct effect on phase composition as well as on the thermal properties of the material. In particular, both the monoclinic phase percentage and thermal diffusivity increased considerably with the thickness. Because this trend was observed together with a slight but clearly visible increase in the total porosity, the interpretation of the results was not straightforward, but required a detailed discussion of the thermal transport mechanism. Considering the complex microstructure typical of APS coatings and the relevant role of porosity, it was shown how a modest reduction in the fraction of closed pores can account for the observed increase in diffusivity. It was then proposed that the volume change associated with the progressive tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation can be responsible for the reduction of the closed porosity of lenticular shape oriented parallel to the surface, in spite of the observed increase in the total porosity.