An Investigation of Thermal Properties of Zirconia Coating on Aluminum

In this study, a new coating procedure deploying plasma spraying technique for zirconia (ZrO2) powder on aluminum substrate has been studied. Zirconia coating was applied with/without bond layer between the Ni–Al coating and the substrate. Ni–Al powders are mainly used as bond coat, which is also known as composite bonding. Thermal torch and thermal shock experiments were conducted on the coated surfaces according to ASTM C-385, and surface cracks and deformations were photographed. The experimental outcomes showed that thicker bond coating was more resistive to thermal shock and withstands longer to thermal torch. The phase change characterized by the SEM surface features was analyzed by XRD method.