Grant: Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives

Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBCs) are a key technology for the protection of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) from the corrosion effects of water vapour at high temperatures. The use of ceramic-based turbine materials provides higher fuel efficiency, cost and fuel savings, and lower environmental impact. This Project seeks to decrease the porosity of thermal sprayed EBCs by application of a sealant material, so that the coatings become impermeable to water vapour. Sealant powders will be prepared and applied to the coating using slurry methods or by applying the chemical precursors directly on the plasma sprayed coating. The latter approach constitutes a novel way to a prepare a coating that will potentially display self-healing properties. The potential outcomes of this research Project include a complementary method for the application of dense EBCs on CMCs, and a more fundamental understanding of the behaviour of these materials at high temperature in the presence of water vapour. The results of this Project will benefit Canadian companies from powder manufacturers, equipment providers, coating applicators, essentially over the entire value chain.