Antibacterial activities and corrosion behavior of novel PEO/nanostructured ZrO_2 coating on Mg alloy

Plasma electrolytic oxidation（PEO） was developed as a bond coat for air plasma sprayed（APS） nanostructure ZrO2 as top coat to enhance the corrosion resistance and antibacterial activity of Mg alloy. Corrosion behavior and antibacterial activities of coated and uncoated samples were assessed by electrochemical tests and agar diffusion method toward Escherichia coli（E. coli） bacterial pathogens, respectively. The lowest corrosion current density and the highest charge transfer resistance, phase angle and impedance modulus were observed for PEO/nano-ZrO2 coated sample compared with those of PEO coated and bare Mg alloys. Nano-ZrO2 top coat which has completely sealed PEO bond coat is able to considerably delay aggressive ions transportation towards Mg alloy surface and significantly enhances corrosion resistance of Mg alloy in simulated body fluid（SBF） solution. Moreover, higher antibacterial activity was also observed in PEO/nano-ZrO2 coating against bacterial strains than that of the PEO coated and bare Mg alloys. This observation was attributed to the presence of ZrO2 nanoparticles which decelerate E. coli growth as a result of E. coli membranes.

Improvement of thermally grown oxide layer in thermal barrier coating systems with nano alumina as third layer

A thermally grown oxide （TGO） layer is formed at the interface of bond coat/top coat. The TGO growth during thermal exposure in air plays an important role in the spallation of the ceramic layer from the bond coat. High temperature oxidation resistance of four types of atmospheric plasma sprayed TBCs was investigated. These coatings were oxidized at 1000 °C for 24, 48 and 120 h in a normal electric furnace under air atmosphere. Microstructural characterization showed that the growth of the TGO layer in nano NiCrAlY/YSZ/nano Al2O3 coating is much lower than in other coatings. Moreover, EDS and XRD analyses revealed the formation of Ni（Cr,Al）2O4 mixed oxides （as spinel） and NiO onto the Al2O3 （TGO） layer. The formation of detrimental mixed oxides （spinels） on the Al2O3 （TGO） layer of nano NiCrAlY/YSZ/nano Al2O3 coating is much lower compared to that of other coatings after 120 h of high temperature oxidation at 1000 °C.

Investigation of three steps of hot corrosion process in Y_2O_3 stabilized ZrO_2 coatings including nano zones

Phase transformation of tetragonal ZrO2 to monoclinic phase and also increment of bond coat oxidation kinetic（TGO thickening） can substantially restrict the life time of thermal barrier coating systems（TBCs）. So, nanostructured and conventional Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 coatings were evaluated in fused V2O5-Na2SO4 salts during thermal exposure in air. Microstructural characterization showed lower hot corrosion products（monoclinic zirconia, YVO4 crystals） formation and reduction of TGO thickness in thermal barrier coating system consisting of nanostructured Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2（YSZ） top coat. It was found that inhomogeneities, pores and micro-cracks played a principal role in the molten salts infiltration into the YSZ coating during three steps of hot corrosion process. In the nanostructured YSZ coating with tri-model structure, nano zones which surrounded by fully molten parts could fill the aforementioned defects and could act as barrier for the oxygen and corrosive molten salts penetration into the TBC.

Effect of Y_2O_3 stabilized ZrO_2 coating with tri-model structure on bi-layered thermally grown oxide evolution in nano thermal barrier coating systems at elevated temperatures

Bi-layered thermally grown oxide （TGO） layer plays a major role in the spallation of Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 （YSZ） layer form the bond coat in the thermal barrier coating （TBC） systems during oxidation. On the other hand, bi-layered TGO formation and growth in the TBC systems with nanostructured YSZ have not been deeply investigated during cyclic oxidation. Hence, Inconel 738/NiCrAlY/normal YSZ and Inconel 738/NiCrAlY/nano YSZ systems were pre-oxidized at 1000 °C and then subjected to cyclic oxidation at 1150 °C. According to microstructural observations, nanostructured YSZ layer over the bond coat should have less mi-cro-cracks and pinholes, due to the compactness of the nanostructure and the presence of nano zones that resulted in lower O infiltration into the nanothermal barrier coating system, formation of thinner and nearly continuous mono-layered thermally grown oxide on the bond coat during pre-oxidation, lower spinels formation at the Al2O3/YSZ interface and finally, reduction of bi-layered thermally grown oxide thickness during cyclic oxidation. It was found that pre-heat treatment and particularly coating microstructure could influence microstructural evolution （bi-layered TGO thickness） and durability of thermal barrier coating systems during cyclic oxidation.