Abstract: A high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powder wherein a purity of the zirconia is at least 99.5 weight percent purity and with a maximum amount of specified oxide impurities.

Abstract: Thermal barrier coating made from a thermally sprayable powder that includes yttria stabilized zirconia and hafnia, from 6 to 9 weight percent yttria, and total impurities less than or equal to about 0.1 weight percent. The thermal barrier coating has from about 5 to 250 vertical macro cracks per 25.4 mm length measured along a coating surface and the macro cracks are oriented perpendicular to a surface of a substrate containing said coating.

Abstract: A high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powder wherein a purity of the zirconia is at least 99.5 weight percent purity and with a maximum amount of specified oxide impurities.

Abstract: Thermal barrier coating made from a thermally sprayable powder that includes yttria stabilized zirconia and hafnia, from 6 to 9 weight percent yttria, and total impurities less than or equal to about 0.1 weight percent. The thermal barrier coating has from about 5 to 250 vertical macro cracks per 25.4 mm length measured along a coating surface and the macro cracks are oriented perpendicular to a surface of a substrate containing said coating.

Abstract: A metal oxide powder includes a powder feed material structured and arranged to form molten droplets when melted in a plasma stream. The molten droplets are structured and arranged to form frozen spherical droplets under free-fall conditions such that said molten droplets have ample time for complete in-flight solidification before reaching a collection chamber.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a material and method for obtaining a ceramic abradable system for high temperature applications. High purity partially stabilized zirconia and/or hafnia base material has higher sintering resistance compared to conventional 6-9 weight percent yttria stabilized zirconia systems. The benefits of these systems are higher service lifetime and low thermal conductivity to achieve high operating temperatures. System includes a superalloy substrate, oxidation resistant bond coat and a thick ceramic abradable top coat. Total coating thickness is about 0.5-5 mm. In some applications an intermediate layer of high purity partially stabilized zirconia or a partially stabilized YSZ/MCrAlY cermet is applied over the oxidation resistant bond coat. In other applications an abradable system is applied on top of a grid. Additional benefits should be reduced blade wear at high operating conditions.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a material and method for obtaining a ceramic abradable system for high temperature applications. High purity partially stabilized zirconia and/or hafnia base material has higher sintering resistance compared to conventional 6-9 weight percent yttria stabilized zirconia systems. The benefits of these systems are higher service lifetime and low thermal conductivity to achieve high operating temperatures. System includes a superalloy substrate, oxidation resistant bond coat and a thick ceramic abradable top coat. Total coating thickness is about 0.5-5 mm. In some applications an intermediate layer of high purity partially stabilized zirconia or a partially stabilized YSZ/MCrAlY cermet is applied over the oxidation resistant bond coat. In other applications an abradable system is applied on top of a grid. Additional benefits should be reduced blade wear at high operating conditions.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a material and method for obtaining a ceramic abradable system for high temperature applications. High purity partially stabilized zirconia and/or hafnia base material has higher sintering resistance compared to conventional 6-9 weight percent yttria stabilized zirconia systems. The benefits of these systems are higher service lifetime and low thermal conductivity to achieve high operating temperatures. System includes a superalloy substrate, oxidation resistant bond coat and a thick ceramic abradable top coat. Total coating thickness is about 0.5-5 mm. In some applications an intermediate layer of high purity partially stabilized zirconia or a partially stabilized YSZ/MCrAlY cermet is applied over the oxidation resistant bond coat. In other applications an abradable system is applied on top of a grid. Additional benefits should be reduced blade wear at high operating conditions.

Abstract: A metal oxide powder includes a powder feed material structured and arranged to form molten droplets when melted in a plasma stream. The molten droplets are structured and arranged to form frozen spherical droplets under free-fall conditions such that said molten droplets have ample time for complete in-flight solidification before reaching a collection chamber.

Abstract: According to aspects of the present invention, metal oxide powder, such as yttria and alumina powder (feed material), is processed using a plasma apparatus. The process generally consists of in-flight heating and melting of the feed material by the plasma apparatus. The plasma apparatus contains a plasma torch with required power supply and cooling systems, a powder feeder, a chamber to collect the powder and a dedusting system. The heated powder forms molten spherical droplets that are rapidly cooled under free fall conditions. The plasma densification process removes some impurity oxides, modifies the morphology of the particle and increases the apparent density of the powder.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a material and method for obtaining a ceramic abradable system for high temperature applications. High purity partially stabilized zirconia and/or hafnia base material has higher sintering resistance compared to conventional 6-9 weight percent yttria stabilized zirconia systems. The benefits of these systems are higher service lifetime and low thermal conductivity to achieve high operating temperatures. System includes a superalloy substrate, oxidation resistant bond coat and a thick ceramic abradable top coat. Total coating thickness is about 0.5-5 mm. In some applications an intermediate layer of high purity partially stabilized zirconia or a partially stabilized YSZ/MCrAlY cermet is applied over the oxidation resistant bond coat. In other applications an abradable system is applied on top of a grid. Additional benefits should be reduced blade wear at high operating conditions.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a ceramic material for use in thermal barriers for high temperature cycling applications and high temperature abradable coatings. The material is an alloy formed predominantly from ultra-pure zirconia (ZrO2) and/or hafnia (HfO2) that has uncharacteristically high sintering resistance to achieve a high service lifetime and low thermal conductivity to achieve high operating temperatures. In the material, oxide impurities such as soda (Na2O), silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2), hematite (Fe2O3), calcia (CaO), and magnesia (MgO) make up no more than 0.15 weight percent. The invention provides materials to produce a coating structure so that the changes in the coating microstructure over the in-service lifetime are either limited or beneficial.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a ceramic material for use in thermal barriers for high temperature cycling applications and high temperature abradable coatings. The material is an alloy formed predominantly from ultra-pure zirconia (ZrO2) and/or hafnia (HfO2) that has uncharacteristically high sintering resistance to achieve a high service lifetime and low thermal conductivity to achieve high operating temperatures. In the material, oxide impurities such as soda (Na2O), silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2), hematite (Fe2O3), calcia (CaO), and magnesia (MgO) make up no more than 0.15 weight percent. The invention provides materials to produce a coating structure so that the changes in the coating microstructure over the in-service lifetime are either limited or beneficial.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low density and porous zirconia (ZrO2) powder partially alloyed with one or more of yttria, scandia, dysprosia, ytterbia, or any of the oxides of lanthanide or actinide. The total amount of alloying oxides should be less than about 30 weight percent. The powder is manufactured by controlled sintering or light plasma densification of physically agglomerated, or chemically derived zirconia composite powder that contains proper amounts of yttria, scandia, dysprosia, ytterbia, or any of the oxides of lanthanide or actinide, or any combination of the aforementioned oxides. The resulting coating from use of the inventive powder has a monoclinic phase content of less than 5 percent.

Abstract: According to aspects of the present invention, metal oxide powder, such as yttria and alumina powder (feed material), is processed using a plasma apparatus. The process generally consists of in-flight heating and melting of the feed material by the plasma apparatus. The plasma apparatus contains a plasma torch with required power supply and cooling systems, a powder feeder, a chamber to collect the powder and a dedusting system. The heated powder forms molten spherical droplets that are rapidly cooled under free fall conditions. The plasma densification process removes some impurity oxides, modifies the morphology of the particle and increases the apparent density of the powder.

Abstract: An improved method of forming an abradable thermal barrier coating comprises providing a spray-dried powder of M-CrAlY and a solid lubricant, such as CoNiCrAlY—BN. Unlike powders provided for use with plasma spray guns, the powder is essentially free of polyester or other organic fugitive additives provided to increase porosity. The powder is applied using a combustion spray process and results in a M-CrAlY abradable coating that has an average porosity comparable to that of a plasma-applied coating but with smaller and more uniform pore distribution, and without requiring post-application heat treatments to remove fugitive materials. Deposition efficiency is also increased.