Concept of Functionally Graded Materials for Advanced Thermal Barrier Coating Applications

This feature article explores the concept of creating functionally graded metal‐ceramic composite microstructures for thermal barrier coatings used in gas‐turbine applications. From a thermomechanical perspective, this concept offers the possibility of significantly improving the life and reliability of thermal barrier coatings. However, prior research reveals that progress has been somewhat limited because of the oxidative instability exhibited by some metal‐ceramic composite microstructures. The present study addresses some of the materials criteria and research issues associated with preparing chemically stable, yet mechanically durable, graded metal‐ceramic microstructures for realistic application environments.