Thermal cycling and oxidation behavior of lanthanum zirconate/yttria stabilized zirconia based thermal barrier coatings

Mathanbabu Mariappan; Thirumalaikumarasamy Duraisamy; Ashokkumar Mohankumar; Thirumal Pattabi

doi:10.1515/ijmr-2024-0285

Article

Thermal cycling and oxidation behavior of lanthanum zirconate/yttria stabilized zirconia based thermal barrier coatings

Mathanbabu Mariappan , Thirumalaikumarasamy Duraisamy , Ashokkumar Mohankumar and Thirumal Pattabi

Published/Copyright: August 27, 2025

Published by

Become an author with De Gruyter Brill

Author Information

From the journal International Journal of Materials Research Volume 116 Issue 8

Abstract

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) enhance oxidation resistance and thermal insulation, protecting turbine blades in aero engines at high temperatures. While 8 wt.% Y₂O₃-stabilized ZrO₂ (8 YSZ) is widely used, it degrades above 1,200 °C. Lanthanum zirconate (La₂Zr₂O₇, LZ) offers better phase stability, lower sintering potential, and reduced thermal conductivity, making it a promising alternative. In this study, LZ and YSZ feedstocks were blended in weight ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75) to integrate the advantages of both and applied to Inconel 718 substrates using atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). Thermal cycling at 1,100 °C was conducted to assess thermal insulation and oxidation resistance. Porosity percentages of 100 % LZ, 75 % LZ, 50 % LZ, and 25 % LZ coatings before and after thermal cycling were 9.16, 7.12, 4.45, 4.39 and 2.39, 1.63, 1.6, 1.43, respectively. The thermally grown oxide (TGO) thickness after 100 h is 10 µm, 9 µm, 6 µm, and 5 µm, respectively. Coatings with 25 % and 50 % LZ showed enhanced thermal insulation and oxidation resistance, reducing delamination due to controlled TGO growth. The 25 % LZ coating exhibited a slower oxidation rate than 100 % LZ, with improved oxygen resistance due to the pyrochlore structure, reducing TGO growth and weight gain. Incorporating YSZ into LZ coatings enhanced oxidation resistance and prolonged TBC spallation life under high-temperature conditions. This combination effectively improves TBC performance in demanding environments.

Keywords: atmospheric plasma spray; thermal barrier coatings; porosity; lanthanum zirconate; thermally grown oxides; high-temperature oxidation

Corresponding author: Mathanbabu Mariappan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Government College of Engineering, Bargur, Krishnagiri, 635104, Tamilnadu, India, E-mail: mathanbabb@gmail.com

Acknowledgments

The authors are thank full to the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Government of India, New Delhi (Project File No: ERIP/ER/201903003/M/01/1769) for financing this study. For providing all of the facilities, the authors owe gratitude to the Surface Science and Engineering Laboratory, Materials Group, Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), DRDO, Bangalore.

Research ethics: Not applicable.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Author contributions: Conceptualization, Investigation, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Mathanbabu Mariappan; Supervision, Project Administration, Funding Acquisition, D. Thirumalaikumarasamy; Validation, Formal Analysis, Writing – Review & Editing, Ashokkumar Mohankumar; Writing – Review & Editing, P. Thirumal. All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: ChatGPT was used for language improvement.
Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Government of India, New Delhi (Project File No: ERIP/ER/201903003/M/01/1769) for financing this study. For providing all of the facilities, the authors owe gratitude to the Surface Science and Engineering Laboratory, Materials Group, Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), DRDO, Bangalore.
Data availability: All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this manuscript.

References

1. Zhang, J.; Guo, X.; Jung, Y. G.; Li, L.; Knapp, J. Lanthanum Zirconate Based Thermal Barrier Coatings: A Review. Surf. Coat. Technol. 2017, 323, 18–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2016.10.019.Search in Google Scholar

2. Schwarzer, J.; Rostek, K. E.; Beck, T.; Löhe, D.; Vöhringer, O. Modelling the Stress State of a Thermal Barrier Coating System at High Temperatures. Int. J. Mater. Res. 2022, 96 (7), 718–724. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijmr-2005-0126.Search in Google Scholar

3. Wang, L.; Di, Y.; Wang, H.; Li, X.; Dong, L.; Liu, T. Effect of Lanthanum Zirconate on High Temperature Resistance of Thermal Barrier Coatings. Trans. Indian Ceram. Soc. 2019, 78, 212. https://doi.org/10.1080/0371750X.2019.1690582.Search in Google Scholar

4. Guo, X.; Lu, Z.; Park, H. Y.; Li, L.; Knapp, J.; Jung, Y. G.; Zhang, J. Thermal Properties of La2Zr2O7 Double-Layer Thermal Barrier Coatings. Adv. Appl. Ceram. 2019, 118, 91. https://doi.org/10.1080/17436753.2018.1510820.Search in Google Scholar

5. Bogdan, M.; Peter, I. A Comprehensive Understanding of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs): Applications, Materials, Coating Design and Failure Mechanisms. Metals 2024, 14 (5), 575. https://doi.org/10.3390/met14050575.Search in Google Scholar

6. Song, D.; Paik, U.; Guo, X.; Zhang, J.; Woo, T. K.; Lu, Z.; Jung, S. H.; Lee, J. H.; Jung, Y. G. Microstructure Design for Blended Feedstock and Its Thermal Durability in Lanthanum Zirconate Based Thermal Barrier Coatings. Surf. Coat. Technol. 2016, 308, 40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2016.07.112.Search in Google Scholar

7. Guo, X.; Lu, Z.; Jung, Y. G.; Li, L.; Knapp, J.; Zhang, J. Thermal Properties, Thermal Shock, and Thermal Cycling Behavior of Lanthanum Zirconate-based Thermal Barrier Coatings. Metall. Mater. Trans. E 2016, 3, 64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40553-016-0070-4.Search in Google Scholar

8. Mathanbabu, M.; Thirumalaikumarasamy, D.; Thirumal, P.; Ashokkumar, M. Study on Thermal, Mechanical, Microstructural Properties and Failure Analyses of Lanthanum Zirconate Based Thermal Barrier Coatings: A Review. Mater. Today Proc. 2021, 46, 7948. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.02.672.Search in Google Scholar

9. Lyu, G.; Kim, I. S.; Song, D.; Park, H. M.; Kim, J. S.; Song, T.; Myoung, S.; Jung, Y. G.; Zhang, J. Sintering Behavior and Phase Transformation of YSZ-LZ Composite Coatings. Ceram. Int. 2020, 46, 1307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2019.09.093.Search in Google Scholar

10. Mathanbabu, M.; Thirumalaikumarasamy, D.; Tamilselvi, M.; kumar, S. Optimization of Plasma Spray Process Variables to Attain the Minimum Porosity and Maximum Hardness of the LZ/YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings Utilizing the Response Surface Approach. Mater. Res. Express 2022, 9, 096505. https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ac8857.Search in Google Scholar

11. Mariappan, M.; Thirumalaikumarasamy, D.; Mohankumar, A.; Tamilselvi, M.; Balam, S. K. Effect of Reflectivity and Porosity Analysis of Plasma Sprayed Lanthanum zirconate/yttria Stabilized Zirconia Based Thermal Barrier Coating: Design of Experimental Approach. Int. J. Interact. Des. Manuf. 2025, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-025-02235-4.Search in Google Scholar

12. Mathivanan, K.; Thirumalaikumarasamy, D.; Ashokkumar, M.; Deepak, S.; Mathanbabu, M. Optimization and Prediction of AZ91D Stellite-6 Coated Magnesium Alloy Using Box Behnken Design and Hybrid Deep Belief Network. J. Mater. Res. Technol. 2021, 15, 2953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2021.09.069.Search in Google Scholar

13. Kumar, G. S.; Thirumalaikumarasamy, D.; Karthikeyan, K.; Mathanbabu, M.; Sonar, T. Optimization of Process Parameters for Minimizing Porosity Level and Maximizing Hardness of AA2024 Alloy Coating on AZ31B Alloy Using Computational Response Surface Methodology. Int. J. Interact. Des. Manuf. 2023, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-023-01501-7.Search in Google Scholar

14. Kumar, L. G. S.; Thirumalaikumarasamy, D.; Karthikeyan, K.; Mathanbabu, M.; Elango, E.; Penmetsa, R. V. Comparison of RSM, ANN and PSO Algorithms to Predict the Porosity Level of Twin Wire Arc Sprayed Aluminium Coatings on AZ31B Magnesium Alloy. Int. J. Veh. Struct. Syst. 2024, 16 (3), 390–395. https://doi.org/10.4273/ijvss.16.3.13.Search in Google Scholar

15. Shahbazi, H.; Vakilifard, H.; Nair, R. B.; Liberati, A. C.; Lima, R. S.; Stoyanov, P.; Moreau, C. High Entropy Alloy Bond Coats for Thermal Barrier Coatings: A Review. J. Therm. Spray Technol. 2023, 33, 430–446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-023-01701-3.Search in Google Scholar

16. Keyvani, A.; Bahamirian, M.; Kobayashi, A. Effect of Sintering Rate on the Porous Microstructural, Mechanical and Thermomechanical Properties of YSZ and CSZ TBC Coatings Undergoing Thermal Cycling. J. Alloys Compd. 2017, 727, 1057–1066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2017.08.184.Search in Google Scholar

17. Kandasamy, P.; Kandala, B.; Lee, M. W.; Sivakumar, G. Phase Stability and Initial Phase High-Temperature Corrosion Behavior of Non-Stoichiometric Lanthanum Cerium Oxide Thermal Barrier Coatings. Ceram. Int. 2024, 50 (9), 14458–14468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2024.01.358.Search in Google Scholar

18. Liu, X. Y.; Wang, X. Z.; Javed, A.; Zhu, C.; Liang, G. Y. The Effect of Sintering Temperature on the Microstructure and Phase Transformation in Tetragonal YSZ and LZ/YSZ Composites. Ceram. Int. 2016, 42, 2456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2015.10.046.Search in Google Scholar

19. Yu, Q. M.; Cen, L. Residual Stress Distribution Along Interfaces in Thermal Barrier Coating System Under Thermal Cycles. Ceram. Int. 2017, 43, 3089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2016.11.119.Search in Google Scholar

20. Zhang, X. C.; Xu, B. S.; Wang, H. D.; Wu, Y. X. An Analytical Model for Predicting Thermal Residual Stresses in Multilayer Coating Systems. Thin Solid Films 2005, 488, 274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2005.04.027.Search in Google Scholar

21. Vaßen, R.; Stover, D. New Thermal Barrier Coatings Based on Pyrochlore/YSZ Double Layer Systems. Adv. Ceram. Coat. Ceram. Met. Syst.: Ceram. Eng. Sci. Proc. 2005, 26, 2. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470291238.ch1.Search in Google Scholar

22. Yu, Q. M.; He, Q. Effect of Material Properties on Residual Stress Distribution in Thermal Barrier Coatings. Ceram. Int. 2018, 44, 3371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2017.11.127.Search in Google Scholar

23. Patil, A. R.; Vagge, S. T. Oxidation and Hot Corrosion Behaviour of Functionally Graded Yttria Stabilized Zirconia and Lanthanum Zirconate Thermal Barrier Coatings. Surf. Coat. Technol. 2023, 474, 130059. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2023.130059.Search in Google Scholar

Received: 2024-10-21

Accepted: 2025-03-14

Published Online: 2025-08-27

Published in Print: 2025-08-26

You are currently not able to access this content.

Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijmr-2024-0285

Keywords for this article

atmospheric plasma spray; thermal barrier coatings; porosity; lanthanum zirconate; thermally grown oxides; high-temperature oxidation