Industrial growth of yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia crystals by skull melting process

We reported the development of a Ф100 cm growth apparatus for skull melting growth of yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia(YSZ) crystals and more than 1000 kg crystals have been grown in the furnace each time.The growth conditions were optimized and the structure of the as-grown crystals was characterized by X-ray diffraction.The transmittance of 15 mol.% yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia crystal was nearly 80% in the range of 400–1600 nm.The refractive indices were measured and fitted the Sellmeier equation whi...

Influence of heat treatment on nanocrystalline zirconia powder and plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings

Nanostructured zirconia top coat was deposited by air plasma spray and NiCoCrAlTaY bond coat was deposited on Ni substrate by low pressure plasma spray.Nanostructured and conventional thermal barrier coatings were heat-treated at temperature varying from 1050 to 1 250oC for 2-20 h.The results show that obvious grain growth was found in both nanostructured and conventional thermal barrier coatings(TBCs)after high temperature heat treatment.Monoclinic/tetragonal phases were transformed into cubic phase in the agglomerated nano-powder after calcination.The cubic phase content increased with increasing calcination temperature.Calcination of the powder made the yttria distributed on the surface of the nanocrystalline particles dissolve in zirconia when grains grew.Different from the phase constituent of the as-sprayed conventional TBC which consisted of diffusionlesstransformed tetragonal,the as-sprayed nanostructured TBC consisted of cubic phase.

Nanostructured yttria stabilized zirconia coatings deposited by air plasma spraying

Nanostructured yttria partially stabilized zirconia coatings were deposited by air plasma spraying with reconstituted nanosized powder. The microstructures and phase compositions of the powder and the as-sprayed nanostructured coatings were characterized by transmission electron microscopy(TEM), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and X-ray diffraction(XRD). The results demonstrate that the microstructure of as-sprayed nanostructured zirconia coating exhibits a unique tri-modal distribution including the initial nanostructure of the powder, equiaxed grains and columnar grains. Air plasma sprayed nanostructured zirconia coatings consist of only the nontransformable tetragonal phase, though the reconstituted nanostructured powder shows the presence of the monoclinic, the tetragonal and the cubic phases. The mean grain size of the coating is about 42 nm.

Crystal growth,structure and optical properties of Pr^(3+)-doped yttria-stabilized zirconia single crystals

The development of blue semiconductor light-emitting diodes(LEDs)has produced potential applications for Prdoped materials that can absorb blue light,especially crystals,and we now report structure and optical properties for high-quality Pr-doped single crystals of yttria-stabilized zirconia(YSZ)grown by the optical floating zone(FZ)method.X-ray diffraction(XRD)and Raman spectroscopy showed that all of the single crystal samples were in the cubic phase,whereas the corresponding ceramic samples contained a mixture of monoclinic and cubic phases.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR)spectroscopy showed that Pr was present as the Pr^(3+)ion in ceramic rods and single crystals after heating to high temperatures.The absorption and photoluminescence excitation(PLE)spectra of the Pr-doped YSZ crystals measured at room temperature showed strong absorption of blue light,while their photoluminescence(PL)spectra showed five emission peaks at 565 nm,588 nm,614 nm,638 nm,and 716 nm under450 nm excitation.The optimum luminescence properties were obtained with the crystal prepared using 0.15 mol%Pr_(6)O_(11),and those with higher concentrations showed evidence of quenching of the luminescence properties.In addition,the color purity of Pr-doped YSZ single crystal reached 98.9%in the orange–red region.

Comparison of thermal shock behaviors between plasma-sprayed nanostructured and conventional zirconia thermal barrier coatings

NiCoCrAlTaY bond coat was deposited on pure nickel substrate by low pressure plasma spraying(LPPS), and ZrO2-8%Y2O3 (mass fraction) nanostructured and ZrO2-7%Y2O3 (mass fraction) conventional thermal barrier coatings(TBCs) were deposited by air plasma spraying(APS). The thermal shock behaviors of the nanostructured and conventional TBCs were investigated by quenching the coating samples in cold water from 1 150, 1 200 and 1 250 ℃, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) was used to examine the microstructures of the samples after thermal shock testing. Energy dispersive analysis of X-ray(EDAX) was used to analyze the interface diffusion behavior of the bond coat elements. X-ray diffractometry(XRD) was used to analyze the constituent phases of the samples. Experimental results indicate that the nanostructured TBC is superior to the conventional TBC in thermal shock performance. Both the nanostructured and conventional TBCs fail along the bond coat/substrate interface. The constituent phase of the as-sprayed conventional TBC is diffusionless-transformed tetragonal(t′). However, the constituent phase of the as-sprayed nanostructured TBC is cubic(c). There is a difference in the crystal size at the spalled surfaces of the nanostructured and conventional TBCs. The constituent phases of the spalled surfaces are mainly composed of Ni2.88Cr1.12 and oxides of bond coat elements.

Effect of magnesium and nickel coatings on the wetting behavior of alumina toughened zirconia by molten Al-Mg alloy

The wettability of alumina toughened zirconia （ZTA） by Al-Mg alloy was investigated using the sessile drop technique. The ef fects of nickel coating, magnesium content, nitrogen atmosphere, and processing temperature on the contact angle between the molten alloy and the substrate were determined. Likewise, the effect of these factors on the wetting properties was studied. The results showed that the nickel coating on the ceramic substrate caused a significant reduction in solid/liquid surface energy and the contact angle decreased obvi- ously. The presence of magnesium in the molten aluminum alloy in nitrogen atmosphere reduced the contact angle effectively. The presence of magnesium in the alloy must be at a minimum amount of 2wt%-3wt% . Moreover, it was suggested that some chemical reactions in the Al-Mg-N system led to the production of Mg3N2 and AlN compositions. These compositions improved the wetting properties of the systems by reducing the surface energy of the molten. It was shown that increasing the temperature is also an effective factor for the enhancement of wetting properties.

Effect of Pulsed Laser on the Structure and Morphology of Alumina-Zirconia Coatings

The effect of excimer laser annealing on the structure and morphology of ceramic coatings were investigated. Alumina-40% zirconia (AZ-40) coatings were sprayed with a water-stabilized plasma spray gun. The coated surface was treated by excimer laser having a wavelength of 248 nm and pulse duration of 24 ns. The surface structure of the treated coating was examined by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A detailed parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of different parameters such as laser energy density (fluence), pulse repetition rate (PRR), and the number of shots on the mechanical properties, surface morphology, and microstructure of the coatings. The results of this study indicated that laser energy and pulse repetition rate have significant effects on surface morphology, porosity, and microstructure of the coating.

Overview on the Development of Nanostructured Thermal Barrier Coatings

Thermal barrier coatings （TBCs） have successfully been used in gas turbine engines for increasing operation temperature and improving engine efficiency. Over the past thirty years, a variety of TBC materials and TBC deposition techniques have been developed. Recently, nanostructured TBCs emerge with the potential of commercial applications in various industries. In this paper, TBC materials and TBC deposition techniques such as air plasma spray （APS）, electron beam physical vapor deposition （EB-PVD）, laser assisted chemical vapor deposition （LACVD） are briefly reviewed. Nanostructured 7-8 wt pct yttria stabilized zirconia （7-8YSZ）TBC by air plasma spraying of powder and new TBC with novel structure deposited by solution precursor plasma spray （SPPS） are compared. Plasma spray conditions, coating forming mechanisms, microstructures,phase compositions, thermal conductivities, and thermal cycling lives of the APS nanostructured TBC and the SPPS nanostructured TBC are discussed. Research opportunities and challenges of nanostructured TBCs deposited by air plasma spray are prospected.

Preparation and film-growing mechanism of hydrous zirconia coated on TiO_2

To overcome the photochemical activity of rutile used as a pigment and improve its durability in application, hydrous zirconia-coated TiO2 was prepared by the precipitation method. High-resolution transmission electron microscope （HRTEM） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） were used to characterize the morphology and surface structure of hydrous zirconia-coated TiO2. The ζ-potential and ultraviolet （UV） absorption of both coated and uncoated rutile were examined. The results show that hydrous zirconia can not only improve the durability but also raise the lightness. A suitable ZrO2 content of hydrous zirconia-coated TiO2 is about 1.0wt%, and a dense film on the surface of rutile can be formed with better pigmentary properties. Based on the thermodynamic analysis, the zirconia-coating process and the film growth mechanism were discussed.

Effects of the Nozzle Design on the Properties of Plasma Jet and Formation of YSZ Coatings under Low Pressure Conditions

How to control the quality of the coatings has become a major problem during the plasma spraying. Because nozzle contour has a great influence on the characteristic of the plasma jet, two kinds of plasma torches equipped with a standard cylindrical nozzle and a converging-diverging nozzle are designed for low pressure plasma spraying（LPPS） and very low pressure plasma spraying（VLPPS）. Yttria stabilized zirconia（YSZ） coatings are obtained in the reducing pressure environment. The properties of the plasma jet without or with powder injection are analyzed by optical emission spectroscopy, and the electron temperature is calculated based on the ratio of the relative intensity of two Arlspectral lines. The results show that some of the YSZ powder can be vaporized in the low pressure enlarged plasma jet, and the long anode nozzle may improve the characteristics of the plasma jet. The coatings deposited by LPPS are mainly composed of the equiaxed grains and while the unmelted powder particles and large scalar pores appear in the coatings made by VLPPS. The long anode nozzle could improve the melting of the powders and deposition efficiency, and enhance the coatings＇ hardness. At the same time, the long anode nozzle could lead to a decrease in the overspray phenomenon. Through the comparison of the two different size＇s nozzle, the long anode is much more suitable for making the YSZ coatings.

Influence of Zirconia on Hydroxyapatite Coating on Ti-Alloy by Laser Cladding

Coating titanium alloy with the bioceramic material hydroxyapatite(HAP) has been used to improve the poor osteoinductive properties of pure titanium alloy. But in clinical applications, the mechanical failure of HAP-coated titanium alloy implant suffered at the interface of the HAP coatings and titanium alloy substrate will be a potential weakness in prosthesis. Yttria-stablized zirconia (YSZ) is expected to enhance the mechanical properties of the HAP coating and reduce the coefficient of thermal expansion difference between the coated layer and the substrate. These may reinforce the bonding strength between the coatings and the substrate. In this paper, HAP/YSZ composite coatings were cladded by laser. The effects of zirconia on the microstructure, mechanical properties and formation of tricalcium phosphate (TCP, Ca 3(PO 4) 2) of the HAP/YSZ composite coatings were evaluated. XRD, SEM and TEM were used to investigate the phase composition, microstructure and morphology of the coatings. The experimental results showed that adding YSZ in coatings was favorable to the composition and stability of HAP, and to the improvement of the adhesion strength, microhardness and microtoughness. A well uniform, crack-free coating of HAP/YSZ composites was formed on Ti-alloy substrate by laser cladding.

A Review:Structural Oxide Coatings by Laser Chemical Vapor Deposition

Yttria-stabilized zirconia and-alumina films were prepared by laser chemical vapor deposition at deposition rates of several hundred micrometers per hour.Moreover,the structural oxide coatings by laser chemical vapor deposition are reviewed.The laser can significantly accelerate the chemical reaction and grain growth in CVD,yielding high deposition rates.The films contain large amounts of nanopores that act as thermal insulation and are thus promising as coating materials for gas turbine blades of Ni-based superalloys and WC-Co cutting tools.

Hot Corrosion Behavior of Sol-Gel Nano Structured Zirconia Coated 9Cr1Mo Ferritic Steel in Alkali Metal Chlorides and Sulphates Deposit Systems at High Temperatures

Fused salt accelerated hot corrosion is quite common in gas turbines, fossil fuelled devices, waste inclinators, pyrochemical systems, etc. Presence of fused salt on metal surface dissolves their existing oxide layer. This results in an increase in oxidation rate of the metal. Since, zirconia coating is well recognized for corrosion protection under high temperature oxidative environment, we have developed zirconia coating on 9Cr1Mo ferritic steel and their oxidation performance was evaluated in LiCl-NaCl and Na2SO4-K2SO4 salts deposit system in air atmosphere at 650?C and 850?C, respectively. Before coating development, zirconium based sol was synthesized using zirconium (IV) propoxide as a precursor. Oxidation test results indicated that the zirconia coated specimens shows more than two times higher corrosion resistance in LiCl-NaCl and three time higher corrosion resistance in Na2SO4-K2SO4 salt deposit, respectively.

Sinterability of Zirconia Top Coat of Investment Mold for Ti Alloy

In this paper. zirconia is used as top mold material for Ti investment casting. Top mold samples are made by proper mold building technology. The effect of different sintering temperature on chemical composition, microstructure and residual bending strength of the top mold sample is Studied. The volume and homogeneity of the air holes in the top mold are determined by sintering temperature. and finally determined the residual bending strength of the mold sample was determined.

Effect of Al_2O_3 and Y_2O_3 on the corrosion behavior of ZrO_2-benzotriazole nanostructured coatings applied on AA2024 via a sol–gel method

zirconia-based nanostructured coatings were deposited on AA2024 to improve the corrosion resistance properties. Three different nanostructured coatings, namely, zirconia–benzotriazole, zirconia–alumina–benzotriazole, and zirconia–yttria–benzotriazole, were applied on AA2024 via a sol–gel method using the dip-coating technique. Next, the coatings were annealed at 150°C after each dipping period. The phases and morphologies of the coatings were investigated using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction(GIXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM), and atomic force microscopy(AFM). The corrosion properties were evaluated using electrochemical methods, including polarization and electrochemical impedance techniques in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. The obtained results confirm the formation of homogeneous and crack free zirconia-benzotriazole-based nanostructured coatings. The average roughness values for zirconia-benzotriazole, zirconia-alumina-benzotriazole, and zirconia-yttria-benzotriazole nanostructured coatings were 30, 8, and 6 nm, respectively. The presence of alumina as a stabilizer on zirconia coating was found to have a beneficial impact on the stability of the corrosion resistance for different immersion times. In fact, the addition of alumina resulted in the dominance of the healing behavior in competition with the corrosion process of zirconia-benzotriazole nanostructured coating.

Sliding Wear Behavior of Plasma Sprayed Zirconia Coating on Cast Aluminum against Silicon Carbide Ceramic

The sliding wear behaviors of ZrO2-22 wt pct MgO （MZ） and ZrO2-8 wt pct Y2O3（YZ） coatings deposited on a cast aluminum alloy with bond layer （NiCrCoAlY） by plasma spray were investigated under dry test conditions at room temperature. Under all load conditions, the wear mechanisms of the MZ and YZ coatings were almost the same. The material transfer and pullout were involved in the wear process of the studied coatings under the test conditions. The wear rate of the MZ coating was less than that of the YZ coating. While increasing the normal load, the wear rates of the MZ and YZ coatings increased. SEM was used to examine the worn surfaces and to elucidate likely wear mechanisms. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDX） analysis of the worn surfaces indicated that material transfer occurred in the direction from the SiC ball to the disk. Fracture toughness had a significant influence on the wear performance of the coatings. It was suggested that the material transfer played an important role in the wear behavior.

Microstructures and Adhesive Strength of Three Kinds of Ceramic Coatings

In gas turbine engine, the study of ceramic thermal resistance coating has always been paid more attention because it can effectively reduce metal interface temperatures, improve corrosion and/or oxidation resistance and extend life. The microstructures, SEM microfractographs and adhesive strength of three kinds of zirconia plasma-sprayed ceramic coating were investigated. The results indicated that nanostructured zirconia coating have higher adhesive strength and better micro-cracking resistance properties compared with magnesia or yttria stabilized zirconia coating because its less quantities laminar internal structures and closed packed structures with less quantities and uniform distribution cavities. The sprayed power is also an important factor affecting adhesive strength of nanostructured zirconia coating.

Thermophysical and Mechanical Properties of ZrO_2 (CaO) Powder and Colloidal Zirconia Sol Dip-Coat Layer Used for Titanium Investment Casting

Both green and residual bending strength of the dip-coat layer composed of ZrO2 (CaO) powder and colloi-dal zirconiz sol binder are sutdied and the effects of process factrs on the strength of dip-coat layer are interpreted,using the results of TG-DTA ,TMA and SEM analyses of the fracture morphology of the coating layer and following the strength theory for porous body.

Effect of Self-adhesive Resin Cement and Tribochemical Treatment on Bond Strength to Zirconia

Aim To evaluate the interactive effects of different self- adhesive resin cements and tribochemical treatment on bond strength to zirconia. Methodology The following self-adhesive resin cements for bonding two zirconia blocks were evaluated： Maxcem （MA）, Smartcem （SM）, Rely X Unicem Aplicap （UN）, Breeze （BR）, Biscem （BI）, Set （SE）, and Clearfil SA luting （CL）. The specimens were grouped according to conditioning as follows： Group 1, polishing with 600 grit polishing paper; Group 2, silica coating with 110 μm Al2O3 particles which modified with silica; and, Group 3, tribochemical treatment - silica coating ＋ silanization. Specimens were stored in distilled water at 37℃ for 24 hours before testing shear bond strength. Results Silica coating and tribochemical treatment significantly increased the bond strength of the MA, UN, BR, B1, SE and CL to zirconia compared to #600 polishing. For both #600 polished and silica coating treatments, MDP- containing self-adhesive resin cement CL had the highest bond strengths to zirconia. Conclusion Applying silica coating and tribochemical treatment improved the bond strength of self-adhesive resin cement to zirconia, especially for CL.

A review of C_1 chemistry synthesis using yttrium-stabilized zirconia catalyst

C1 chemistry based on synthesis gas, methane, and carbon dioxide offers many routes to industrial chemicals. The reactions related to the synthesis of gas can be classified into direct and indirect approach for making such products, such as acetic acid, dimethyl ether, and alcohol. Catalytic syngas processing is currently done at high temperatures and pressures, conditions that could be unfavorable for the life of the catalyst. Another issue of C1 chemistry is related to the methane-initiated process. It has been known that direct methane conversions are still suffering from low yields and selectivity of products resulting in unprofitable ways to produce products, such as higher hydrocarbons, methanol, and so on. However, many experts and researchers are still trying to find the best method to overcome these barriers, for example, by finding the best catalyst to reduce the high-energy barrier of the reactions and conduct only selective catalyst-surface reactions. The appli- cation of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia （YSZ） and its combination with other metals for catalyzing purposes are increasing. The existence of an interesting site that acts as oxygen store could be the main reason for it. Moreover, formation of intermediate species on the surface of YSZ also contributes significantly in increasing the production of some specific products. Understanding the phenomena happening inside could be necessary. In this article, the use of YSZ for some C1 chemistry reactions was discussed and reviewed.