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.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a thermal barrier coating for inclusion in a thermal barrier coating system is provided. The thermal barrier coating comprises a compound having a rhombohedral phase. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a thermal barrier coating is provided that comprises a compound having the formula of: A4B3O12, wherein A is at least one rare earth element; and B is selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf and mixtures thereof.

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 optional inner layer nearest to the underlying metal substrate comprising a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material in an amount up to 100%, and an outer layer having an exposed surface and comprising at least about 50% of a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material and alumina in an amount up to about 50% and sufficient to protect the thermal barrier coating at least partially against environmental contaminants that become deposited on the exposed surface. 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.

Abstract: Ceramic compositions comprising at least about 91 mole % zirconia and up to about 9 mole % of a stabilizer component comprising a first metal oxide having selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india and mixtures thereof. This stabilizer component further comprises a second metal oxide of a trivalent metal atom selected from the group consisting of lanthana, gadolinia, neodymia, samaria, dysprosium, and mixtures thereof and a third metal oxide of a trivalent metal atom selected from the group consisting of erbia, ytterbia and mixtures thereof. These ceramic compositions are useful in preparing thermal barrier coatings having reduced thermal conductivity for the metal substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures.

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 having a melting point of at least about 2000° F. (1093° C.), as well as a thermally glazed outer layer having an exposed surface and a thickness up to 0.4 mils (about 10 microns) and sufficient to at least partially protect the thermal barrier coating against environmental contaminants that become deposited on the exposed surface, and comprising a thermally glazeable coating material having a melting point of at least about 2000° F. (1093° C.) in an amount up to 100%. This coating can be used to provide a thermally protected article having a metal substrate and optionally a bond coated layer adjacent to and overlaying the metal substrate.

Abstract: A reduced thermal conductivity thermal barrier coating having improved impact and erosion resistance for an underlying metal substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures. This coating comprises a zirconia-containing ceramic composition having a c/a ratio in the range of from about 1.0057 to about 1.0123 and stabilized in the tetragonal phase by a stabilizing amount of a stabilizing metal oxide. The coating has a fraction of porosity of from about 0.15 to about 0.25, and an impact and erosion resistance property defined by at least one of the following formulas: (a) I=exp. [5.85?(144×s)?(3.68×p)]; and/or; (b) E=[187?(261×p)?(9989×s)], wherein s=1.0117?c/a ratio; p is the fraction of porosity; I is least about 70 g/mil; and E is least about 80 g/mil. 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.

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 optional inner layer nearest to the underlying metal substrate comprising a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material in an amount up to 100%, and an outer layer having an exposed surface and comprising at least about 50% of a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material and alumina in an amount up to about 50% and sufficient to protect the thermal barrier coating at least partially against environmental contaminants that become deposited on the exposed surface. 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.

Abstract: A thermal barrier coatings for the underlying substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures. The thermal barrier coating includes a zirconia-containing upper layer wherein the zirconia is stabilized in the cubic crystalline phase to reduce the thermal conductivity of the coating. The thermal barrier coating further includes a zirconia-containing lower layer stabilized in the tetragonal crystalline phase that increases the adherence of the upper layer to the bond coat layer that overlies the substrate of the article to improve the resistance of the coating to spallation.

Abstract: A reduced thermal conductivity thermal barrier coating having improved impact and erosion resistance for an underlying metal substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures. This coating comprises an inner layer nearest to the underlying metal substrate comprising a ceramic thermal barrier coating material, as well as a protective outer layer adjacent to and overlaying the inner layer and having an exposed surface. The outer layer has a thickness up to about 5 mils (127 microns) sufficient to impart impact and erosion 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, ytterbia and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A reduced thermal conductivity thermal barrier coating having improved impact and erosion resistance for an underlying metal substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures. This coating comprises a zirconia-containing ceramic composition having a c/a ratio in the range of from about 1.0117 to about 1.0148 and stabilized in the tetragonal phase by a stabilizing amount of a stabilizer metal oxide. The coating has a fraction of porosity of from about 0.10 to about 0.25, and an impact and erosion resistance property defined by at least one of the following formulas: (a) I=exp.[5.85?(144×s)?(3.68×p)]; and/or; (b) E=[187?(261×p)?(9989×s)], wherein s=1.0117?c/a ratio; p is the fraction of porosity; I is least about 140 g/mil; and E is least about 130 g/mil. 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.

Abstract: Zirconia-containing ceramic compositions having a c/a ratio of the zirconia lattice in the range of from about 1.005 to about 1.016. These compositions comprise a stabilizing amount up to about 10 mole % of the composition of a stabilizer component which comprises: (1) a first metal oxide selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india and mixtures thereof in an amount of from about 1.5 to about 6 mole % of the composition of; (2) a second metal oxide selected from the group consisting of lanthana, neodymia and mixtures thereof in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 4 mole % of the composition; and (3) optionally ytterbia in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 4 mole % of the composition. These compositions further comprise hafnia in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 15 mole % of the composition; and optionally tantala in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 1.5 mole % of the composition.

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 includes a porous outer layer having an exposed surface and comprising a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material, as well as alumina infiltrated within the porous outer layer in an amount sufficient to protect the coating at least partially against environmental contaminants that become deposited on the exposed surface. 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. The thermal barrier coating can be infiltrated with the alumina by treating the porous outer layer with a liquid composition comprising an alumina precursor and then converting the infiltrated alumina precursor to alumina.

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 optional inner layer nearest to the underlying metal substrate comprising a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material in an amount up to 100%, and an outer layer having an exposed surface and comprising at least about 50% of a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material and alumina in an amount up to about 50% and sufficient to protect the thermal barrier coating at least partially against environmental contaminants that become deposited on the exposed surface. 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.

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 includes a porous outer layer having an exposed surface and comprising a non-alumina ceramic thermal barrier coating material, as well as alumina infiltrated within the porous outer layer in an amount sufficient to protect the coating at least partially against environmental contaminants that become deposited on the exposed surface. 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. The thermal barrier coating can be infiltrated with the alumina by treating the porous outer layer with a liquid composition comprising an alumina precursor and then converting the infiltrated alumina precursor to alumina.

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 having a melting point of at least about 2000° F. (1093° C.), as well as a thermally glazed outer layer having an exposed surface and a thickness up to 0.4 mils (about 10 microns) and sufficient to at least partially protect the thermal barrier coating against environmental contaminants that become deposited on the exposed surface, and comprising a thermally glazeable coating material having a melting point of at least about 2000° F. (1093° C.) in an amount up to 100%. This coating can be used to provide a thermally protected article having a metal substrate and optionally a bond coated layer adjacent to and overlaying the metal substrate.