Hot corrosion mechanism and thermal cycling performance of air-plasma-sprayed LaYbZr2O7 thermal barrier coatings in the vanadate-containing molten salts

LaYbZr2O7 has been regarded as a promising thermal barrier coatings (TBC) material due to its excellent mechanical and thermal properties. In this study, the LaYbZr2O7 coating was prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), and its hot corrosion mechanism and thermal cycling performance in vanadate-containing molten salts (V2O5 and Na2SO4 + V2O5) were investigated. Results indicated the hot corrosion reaction of LaYbZr2O7 coatings in molten V2O5 was temperature dependent, attributed to the thermal decomposition of ZrV2O7 above 800 degrees C. A continuous dense corrosion layer could form on the top surface of LaYbZr2O7 coatings after hot corrosion in molten V2O5 salt, effectively preventing the further penetration of molten salt. However, the dense corrosion layer could not form when exposed to Na2SO4 + V2O5 molten salts at 1000 degrees C, since the formation of NaVO3 could improve the mobility of molten salts and slow the precipitation reaction rate of corrosion products. Furthermore, thermal cycling tests indicated that the Na2SO4 + V2O5 mixture could be more detrimental to LaYbZr2O7 coatings than single V2O5 salt, and the dense corrosion layer could act as a sacrifice layer to protect the inner coating from corrosion degradation. The hot corrosion mechanism of LaYbZr2O7 was discussed in detail based on the Lewis acid-base and dissolution-precipitation rule.