Novel thermal barrier coatings repel and resist molten silicate deposits

Abstract Optimization of the resistance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) to environmental particles is an area of considerable current research. Here, we present a novel methods, incorporating plasma spray physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD), in order to fabricate a novel yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) TBC which is highly phobic (i.e. non-wettable) with respect to CaO-MgO-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 (CMAS) particles. At 1250 °C, CMAS particles form liquid droplets which are readily repelled by the TBC surface, diminishing adherence to and penetration into the TBC. This effectiveness of the TBC in resisting wetting by molten CMAS deposits is interpreted to result from its lotus-leaf-like dual-scale microstructure.