Growth selection induced residual stresses and fracture behavior of as-deposited thermal barrier coatings

This study explored the impact of microstructure and residual stresses on the fracture behavior of as-deposited thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Two distinct air plasma sprayed TBCs, Coating A (conventional lamellar porous) and Coating B (dense vertically cracked), were investigated. Coating A involved coarser but less dense powders as feedstock and a lower substrate temperature during deposition. Further, Coating A had $\sim 2.5$ times higher randomly oriented porosities, finer grains, lower hardness, and elastic stiffness. Strikingly, however, the fracture strength was higher for the porous as-deposited Coating A. The answer to this apparent contradiction emerged from the intergranular residual stresses. These were measured using both X-ray diffraction and high-resolution-electron backscattered diffraction. Coating B, deposited at a higher substrate temperature, had clear growth selection of $\left(102\right)$ oriented grains. These also had more out-of-plane normal and shear residual stresses. The growth selection induced residual stresses appeared responsible for the decohesion of Coating B from the substrate and, correspondingly, lower fracture strength.