Mechanisms governing the interfacial delamination of thermal barrier coating system with double ceramic layers

A systematic study of factors affecting the interfacial delamination of thermal barrier coating system (TBCs) with double ceramic layers (DCL) is presented. Crack driving forces for delaminations at two weak interfaces are examined. The results show that a thicker outermost ceramic layer can induce dramatic increase in crack driving force and make the interface between two ceramic coatings become more prone to delamination. The behavior is shown to be more prominent in TBCs with stiffer outmost coating. The thickness ratio of two ceramic layers is an important parameter for controlling the failure mechanisms and determining the lifetime of DCL TBCs under inservice condition. By accounting for the influences of thickness ratio of two ceramic layers and interfacial fracture toughnesses of two involved interfaces, the fracture mechanism map of DCL TBCs has been constructed, in which different failure mechanisms are identified. The results quanlitatively agree with the aviliable experimental data.