It is generally believed that a thermally grown oxide (TOO) layer of alumina provides enhanced protection to the metallic bond coat in thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems at elevated temperatures. However, in an air-plasma-sprayed (APS) TBC system with Co-32Ni-21Cr-8Al-0.5Y (wt%) bond coat, the TGO layer formed upon thermal exposure in air was predominantly chromia and spinels, which would not effectively protect the bond coat at above 1000°C. In addition, mixed oxides of chromia, spinel and nickel oxide formed heterogeneously between the ceramic coating and CoNiCrAlY bond coat, which would promote crack initiation and lead to premature TBC failure. A heat treatment in a low-pressure condition was applied to the as-sprayed TBC system, with the aim to produce an alumina layer as well as reduce the amount of detrimental oxides. The influence of this low-pressure oxidation treatment (LPOT) on the bond coat cyclic oxidation behaviour of the TBC system was also investigated.
