Patents by Inventor Irene Spitsberg

Irene Spitsberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080090005
    Abstract: A protective coating for use on a silicon-containing substrate, and deposition methods therefor. The coating has a barium-strontium-aluminosilicate (BSAS) composition that is less susceptible to degradation by volatilization and in corrosive environments as a result of having at least an outer surface region that consists essentially of one or more stoichiometric crystalline phases of BSAS and is substantially free of a nonstoichiometric second crystalline phase of BSAS that contains a substoichiometric amount of silica. The coating can be produced by carrying out deposition and heat treatment steps that result in the entire coating or just the outer surface region of the coating consisting essentially of the stoichiometric celsian phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Brian Hazel, Christine Govern
  • Patent number: 7357994
    Abstract: A coating system for Si-containing materials, particularly those for articles exposed to high temperatures. The coating system exhibits improved resistance to corrosion from sea salt and CMAS as a result of using aluminate compounds to protect silicate-containing layers of the coating system. The coating system includes an environmental barrier coating, a thermal barrier coating overlying the environmental barrier coating and formed of a thermal-insulating material, and a transition layer between the environmental barrier coating and thermal barrier coating, wherein the transition layer contains at least one aluminate compound and/or alumina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Thomas Hazel, Irene Spitsberg
  • Patent number: 7354651
    Abstract: An article comprising a silicon-containing substrate, a silicide-containing bond coat layer overlying the substrate, and an environmental barrier coating (EBC) overlying the bond coat layer, wherein the EBC comprises a corrosion resistant outer layer comprising a corrosion resistant metal silicate. A process is also provided for forming the corrosion resistant outer layer over the silicide-containing bond coat layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Thomas Hazel, Irene Spitsberg, Brett Allen Boutwell
  • Patent number: 7351482
    Abstract: Zirconia-containing ceramic compositions that are capable of providing thermal barrier coatings wherein the zirconia is stabilized in the cubic crystalline phase. These compositions comprise at least about 50 mole % zirconia and a stabilizing amount up to about 49 mole % of a stabilizer component comprising: (1) a first metal oxide selected from the group consisting of ytterbia, neodymia, mixtures of ytterbia and neodymia, mixtures of ytterbia and lanthana, mixtures of neodymia and lanthana, and mixtures of ytterbia, neodymia and lanthana in an amount of from about 5 to about 49 mole % of the composition; and (2) a second metal oxide selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india and mixtures thereof in an amount of about 4 mole % or less of the composition. The ceramic composition further comprises one or more of a third metal oxide selected from the group consisting of: (a) hafnia in an amount from about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brett Allen Boutwell, Mark Daniel Gorman, Irene Spitsberg, Ramgopal Darolia, Robert William Bruce, Venkat Subramaniam Venkataramani
  • Patent number: 7341797
    Abstract: A protective coating for use on a silicon-containing substrate, and deposition methods therefor. The coating has a barium-strontium-aluminosilicate (BSAS) composition that is less susceptible to degradation by volatilization and in corrosive environments as a result of having at least an outer surface region that consists essentially of one or more stoichiometric crystalline phases of BSAS and is substantially free of a nonstoichiometric second crystalline phase of BSAS that contains a substoichiometric amount of silica. The coating can be produced by carrying out deposition and heat treatment steps that result in the entire coating or just the outer surface region of the coating consisting essentially of the stoichiometric celsian phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Brian Thomas Hazel, Christine Govern
  • Patent number: 7326468
    Abstract: An article comprising a substrate formed of a silicon-comprising material, such as an article exposed to the hostile thermal environment of a gas turbine engine. The article further comprises an environmental barrier layer, e.g., an alkaline earth metal aluminosilicate, and a top coat comprising hafnia stabilized with from about 0.5 mole % to about 10 mole % of an oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, scandium, yttrium, and lanthanide metals, and mixtures thereof. The article optionally comprises a transition layer between the environmental barrier layer and the top coat. A method for preparing a thermal/environmental barrier coating on a substrate formed of a silicon-comprising material is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Christine Govern, Bangalore Aswatha Nagaraj, Brian Thomas Hazel, David Joseph Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20070292624
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a thermal barrier coating for inclusion in a thermal barrier coating/environmental barrier coating system (TBC/EBC system) for use on a silicon based substrate is disclosed. The thermal barrier coating comprising up to about 9 mol percent of a stabilizer and up to 91 mol percent of primary oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconia, hafnia and mixtures thereof. The stabilizer comprises: a first metal oxide selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india and mixtures thereof, a second metal oxide of a trivalent metal atom selected from the group consisting of lanthana, gadolinia, neodymia, samaria, dysprosia, ytterbia, erbia, and mixtures thereof. The first metal oxide is in an amount of from about 3 to about 5 mol %, the second metal oxide is in an amount of from about 0.25 to about 6 mol %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventors: Bangalore A. Nagaraj, Irene Spitsberg, Christine Govern, Brian Thomas Hazel
  • Patent number: 7309530
    Abstract: A composition is disclosed that includes an at least partially stabilized zirconia matrix with a pentavalent oxide first dopant and an oxide second dopant. A coated article is disclosed for use in a high temperature a gas turbine. The coated article can include an yttria-stabilized zirconia, a pentavalent oxide first dopant, and an oxide second dopant. The ratio of the pentavalent oxide second dopant to the oxide third dopant can be less than or equal to about 1. The composition can reduce sintering of the thermal barrier coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Venkat S. Venkataramani, Brett Boutwell
  • Publication number: 20070224411
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, disclosed is a composite comprising a porous thermal barrier coating on a metallic part and an impermeable barrier coating adjacent to the outer surface of the thermal barrier coating. The impermeable barrier coating is dense and non-porous and comprises a rare earth silicate, the impermeable barrier coating thereby preventing infiltration of the contaminant composition into the thermal barrier coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventors: Brian Hazel, Irene Spitsberg, Christine Govern, Bangalore Nagaraj
  • Patent number: 7255940
    Abstract: A reduced thermal conductivity thermal barrier coating having improved impact resistance for an underlying substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures. This coating comprises an inner high fracture toughness layer nearest to the underlying substrate and having a thickness up to about 5 mils (127 microns) sufficient to impart impact resistance to the thermal barrier coating, and comprises a zirconia-containing ceramic composition having a c/a ratio of the zirconia lattice in the range of from about 1.011 to about 1.016 and stabilized in the tetragonal phase by a stabilizing amount of a stabilizing metal oxide selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india, lanthana, gadolinia, neodymia, samaria, dysprosia, erbia, ytterbia, europia, praseodymia, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Brett Allen Boutwell, Robert William Bruce
  • Publication number: 20070184287
    Abstract: A protective coating for use on a silicon-containing substrate, and deposition methods therefor. The coating has a strontium-aluminosilicate (SAS) composition that is less susceptible to degradation by volatilization and in corrosive environments as a result of having at least an outer surface region that consists essentially of one or more stoichiometric crystalline phases of SAS and is substantially free of a nonstoichiometric second crystalline phase of SAS that contains a substoichiometric amount of silica. The coating can be produced by carrying out deposition and heat treatment steps that result in the entire coating or just the outer surface region of the coating consisting essentially of the stoichiometric celsian phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian Hazel, Christine Walston, Irene Spitsberg
  • Patent number: 7226668
    Abstract: A thermal barrier coating for an underlying metal substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures, as well as being exposed to environmental contaminant compositions. This coating comprises an inner layer nearest to the underlying metal substrate comprising a ceramic thermal barrier coating material, as well as an outer layer having an exposed surface and comprising a CMAS-reactive material in an amount up to 100% and sufficient to protect the thermal barrier coating at least partially against CMAS that becomes deposited on the exposed surface, the CMAS-reactive material comprising an alkaline earth aluminate or alkaline earth aluminosilicate where the alkaline earth is selected from barium, strontium and mixtures thereof, and optionally a ceramic thermal barrier coating material. This coating can be used to provide a thermally protected article having a metal substrate and optionally a bond coat layer adjacent to and overlaying the metal substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bangalore Aswatha Nagaraj, Irene Spitsberg
  • Patent number: 7166373
    Abstract: Zirconia-containing ceramic compositions useful for thermal barrier coatings having improved mechanical properties, especially improved fracture toughness. These compositions comprise: (1) at least about 93 mole % zirconia; (2) a stabilizing amount up to about 5 mole % of a stabilizer metal oxide selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india, gadolinia, neodymia, samaria, dysprosia, erbia, ytterbia, europia, praseodymia, and mixtures thereof, and a fracture toughness improving amount up to about 2 mole % lanthana. These ceramic compositions can be used to prepare thermal barrier coatings to provide a thermally protected article having a substrate and optionally a bond coat layer adjacent to and overlaying the substrate. The thermal barrier coating can be prepared by depositing the ceramic composition on the bond coat layer or the substrate in the absence of a bond coat layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Brett Allen Boutwell
  • Patent number: 7150922
    Abstract: A beta-phase nickel aluminide (NiAl) overlay coating (24) and method for modifying the grain structure of the coating (24) to improve its oxidation resistance. The coating (24) is deposited by a method that produces a grain structure characterized by grain boundaries (44) exposed at the outer coating surface (36). The grain boundaries (44) may also contain precipitates (40) as a result of the alloyed chemistry of the coating (24). During or after deposition, the overlay coating (24) is caused to form new grain boundaries (34) that, though open to the outer surface (36) of the coating (24), are free of precipitates or contain fewer precipitates (40) than the as-deposited grain boundaries (44). New grain boundaries (34) are preferably produced by causing the overlay coating (24) to recrystallize during coating deposition or after deposition as a result of a surface treatment followed by heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Joseph David Rigney, Ramgopal Darolia, Elissa Hae-Kyung Lee, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner
  • Publication number: 20060280953
    Abstract: An article comprising a silicon-containing substrate, a silicide-containing bond coat layer overlying the substrate, and typically an environmental barrier coating overlaying the bond coat layer. An article is also provided wherein the environmental barrier coating comprises: (1) an optional inner silica scale layer overlaying the bond coat layer; (2) intermediate layer overlaying the inner silica scale layer, or the bond coat layer in the absence of the inner silica scale layer, and comprising mullite, or a combination of mullite with a barium strontium aluminosilicate, a yttrium silicate, or a calcium aluminosilicate; and (3) an outer steam-resistant barrier layer overlaying the intermediate layer and consisting essentially of an alkaline earth silicate/aluminosilicate. Processes are also provided for forming the silicide-containing bond coat layer over the substrate, followed by forming the environmental barrier coating over the bond coat layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Brian Hazel, Irene Spitsberg, Brett Boutwell
  • Publication number: 20060280926
    Abstract: A thermal barrier coating and deposition process for a component intended for use in a hostile thermal environment, such as the turbine, combustor and augmentor components of a gas turbine engine. The TBC has a first coating portion on at least a first surface portion of the component. The first coating portion is formed of a ceramic material to have at least an inner region, at least an outer region overlying the inner region, and a columnar microstructure whereby the inner and outer regions comprise columns of the ceramic material. The columns of the inner region are more closely spaced than the columns of the outer region so that the inner region of the first coating portion is denser than the outer region of the first coating portion, wherein the higher density of the inner region promotes the impact resistance of the first coating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Brett Boutwell, Robert Bruce, Curtis Johnson, Bangalore Nagaraj, William Walston
  • Publication number: 20060280952
    Abstract: An article comprising a silicon-containing substrate, a silicide-containing bond coat layer overlying the substrate, and an environmental barrier coating (EBC) overlying the bond coat layer, wherein the EBC comprises a corrosion resistant outer layer comprising a corrosion resistant metal silicate. A process is also provided for forming the corrosion resistant outer layer over the silicide-containing bond coat layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Brian Hazel, Irene Spitsberg, Brett Boutwell
  • Publication number: 20060280954
    Abstract: An article comprising a silicon-containing substrate, an environmental barrier coating (EBC) overlying the substrate, wherein the EBC comprises a higher metal silicate-containing outer barrier layer; and a corrosion resistant alumina/aluminate sealant for the higher metal silicate-containing outer barrier layer. A process is also provided for forming a corrosion resistant alumina/aluminate sealant layer over the higher metal silicate-containing outer barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Brian Hazel
  • Publication number: 20060280962
    Abstract: A coating system for Si-containing materials, particularly Si-based composites used to produce articles exposed to high temperatures. The coating system is a compositionally-graded thermal/environmental barrier coating (T/EBC) system that includes an intermediate layer containing yttria-stabilized hafnia (YSHf) and mullite, alumina and/or an aluminosilicate, which is used in combination with an inner layer between a Si-containing substrate and the intermediate layer and a thermal-insulating top coat overlying the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer provides environmental protection to the silicon-containing substrate, and has a coefficient of thermal expansion between that of the top coat and that of the inner layer so as to serve as a transition layer therebetween. The intermediate layer is particular well suited for use in combination with an inner layer of an alkaline earth metal aluminosilicate (such as BSAS) and a top coat formed of YSZ or YSHf.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian Hazel, Irene Spitsberg, Christine Govern, Bangalore Nagaraj
  • Publication number: 20060280955
    Abstract: An article comprising a silicon-containing substrate, an environmental barrier coating (EBC) overlying the substrate, wherein the EBC comprises an outer alkaline earth aluminosilicate barrier layer; and a corrosion resistant alumina/aluminate sealant for the outer barrier layer. A process is also provided for forming a corrosion resistant alumina/aluminate sealant layer over the outer barrier layer of the EBC. Also provided is an alternative process for treating a porous outer barrier layer with a liquid composition comprising an corrosion resistant alumina/aluminate sealant precursor to infiltrate the porous outer barrier layer with the alumina/aluminate sealant precursor in an amount sufficient to provide, when converted to the corrosion resistant alumina/aluminate sealant, protection of the environmental barrier coating against environmental attack; and converting the infiltrated alumina/aluminate sealant precursor within the porous outer barrier layer to the corrosion resistant alumina/aluminate sealant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Brian Hazel