Thermal Barrier Coatings for High-Temperature Performance of Nickel-Based Superalloys: A Synthetic Review

With the rising demands of industry to increase the working temperature of gas turbine blades and internal combustion engines, thermal barrier coatings (TBC) were found to be an effective way to further enhance the lifetime of aero components through the improvement of mechanical properties and oxidation-resistance. Thus, this paper aims to review coating technologies with special emphasis on plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings (PS), and those produced by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. Each technology was assessed in terms of its effectiveness to enhance the mechanical response and oxidation resistance of nickel-based parts working at high temperature. The effect of coating technology on mechanical strength, hardness, fatigue and creep of nickel alloys was discussed to reveal the potential candidates for future applications in aggressive environments.