NONDESTRUCTIVE IMPEDANCE SPECTROSCOPY EVALUATION OF THE BOND COAT OXIDATION IN THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS

In this paper, the impedance spectroscopy technique was employed to examine nondestructively the isothermal oxidation of air plasma sprayed (APS) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) in air at 800°C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were also used to characterize the microstructure evolution of TBCs. After oxidation, the thermally grown oxide (TGO), which was mainly composed of alumina as confirmed by EDX, formed at the upper ceramic coat/bond coat interface, the lower bond coat/substrate interface, and the bond coat. Impedance diagrams obtained from impedance measurements at room temperature were analyzed according to the equivalent circuit model proposed for the TBCs. Various observed electrical responses relating to the growth of oxides and the sintering of YSZ were explained by simulating the impedance spectra of the TBCs.