Technologies to Produce ENSDF-traceable Libraries for Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy

Not Available Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) offer significant military and commercial cost savings to the turbine industry. However, the benefits have not been realized yet, largely because of inadequate reliability and low thermal cycles to failure. The biggest problem lies with oxidation of the metallic bond-coat. UES proposes to use a patented filtered cathodic arc deposition system to produce a novel TBC system of high performance. The proposed approach involves depositing a 5 um MCrAlY layer on the superalloy substrate, followed by deposition of a high quality Y-doped alumina coating of 0.5 - 1 um thickness. Processing parameters will be controlled to obtain primarily alpha-alumina, whose main purpose is to drastically reduce oxidation of the underlying metal. The alumina will be coated with yttria stabilized zirconia using the electron beam physical vapor deposition method. In Phase I, we shall concentrate on obtaining a durable alumina layer, that also retards oxide scale formation of the underlying metal. Oxidation tests will be performed to measure its response to isothermal and cyclic exposures. Successful evidence of these capabilities will provide justification for a Phase II effort. The program involves teaming with Chromalloy, a major TBC manufacturer, who would like to install UES's equipment on successful demonstration of the program.