The degradation process of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) such as monolayered La₂Zr₂O₇, composite 50% La₂Zr₂O₇ + 50% 8YSZ, and double-ceramic layer (DCL) La₂Zr₂O₇/50% La₂Zr₂O₇ + 50% 8YSZ/8YSZ was investigated. Coatings were deposited using the atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) process (ceramic layer and bond-coat) on the Ni-based superalloy substrate with Ni-22Cr-10Al-1Y bond-coat. The thickness of the ceramic top-coats in all cases were 300 µm. In the case of La₂Zr₂O₇/8YSZ, the internal sublayer was built from 8YSZ powder whereas the outer from La₂Zr₂O₇. Between both sublayers’ “composite” a 50% La₂Zr₂O₇ + 50% 8YSZ zone was present. The “composite” 50% La₂Zr₂O₇ + 50% 8YSZ TBC system was sprayed from two different feedstock powders with equal weight ratios. In the first part of the investigation, the microstructural characterization of the TBCs was presented. The main goals were related to the characterization of the degradation processes in different TBC systems with special emphasis on the phenomenon in the thermally grown oxide (TGO) zone related to oxidation, and the phenomenon related to phase stability in ceramic top-coats as related to temperature influence. The oxidation test was carried out in air at 1100 °C for 500 h. In the second step of the investigation, the numerical simulation of the monolayered TBC 8YSZ and La₂Zr₂O₇ systems was analyzed from the stress distribution point of view. Additionally, the two-layered TBC coating of the DCL type was also analyzed.

The oxides with pyrochlore or defected fluorite structure are a potential alternative ceramic materials for now widely used yttria-stabilized zirconia 8YSZ in the application for the insulation layer of thermal barrier coatings systems. This paper presents a procedure of synthesis of europium zirconate of Eu₂Zr₂O₇ type, by the method of high temperature sintering under pressure. The analysis of the effect of the powders` homogenization methods on homogeneity of final sintered material showed that the highest homogeneity can be obtained after mechanical mixing in alcohol. Moreover, the DSC investigation carried out on a mixture of powders before the sintering process and on the material after high temperature sintering under pressure, suggest the synthesis of a new phase an europium zirconate Eu₂Zr₂O₇ with the pyrochlore structure. Obtained phase was characterized by stability over the entire range of tested temperature, i.e. to 1450°C. The resulting material based on europium zirconate has a lower coefficient of thermal diffusivity than the now widely used 8YSZ.

The zirconates of rare earth elements, such as Sm2Zr2O7, can be an alternative material for zirconia modified by yttria (8YSZ) usually used as an insulation layer in thermal barrier coatings (TBC) systems. This chapter describes the morphology of feedstock zirconate powder, internal morphology and selected properties of different samarium zirconate TBC systems. These included: composite TBC coatings of Sm2Zr2O7 + 8YSZ type with different ratio of both used to coatings deposition powders (25/75, 50/50 and 75/25) as well as the TBC of double ceramic layer (DCL) type with an 8YSZ internal layer and an outer layer of Sm2Zr2O7 type, and a monolayer TBC based on Sm2Zr2O7. Another presented subject is related to the oxidation resistance of TBC systems during static oxidation test at temperature 1100°C. In this case, the special emphasis was taken on the characterization of thermally grown oxides (TGO) zone thickness where the most important phenomena related with overall live-time of TBC systems usually take place.

The synthesis of ceramic materials based on europia–zirconia system and obtained by solid-state reaction in high-temperature vacuum press was investigated. Firstly, phase composition and calorimetric behavior of feedstock powders was investigated. The second part of the paper concerns the synthesis process of non-stoichiometric mixtures of feedstock powders prepared by four different methods of mixing. The influence of the homogenization method on the calorimetric behavior and phase composition of obtained sinters was studied. Finally, the influence of the additional high-temperature annealing was also investigated. From the obtained results, it can be concluded that the mixing procedure had a very strong influence on the morphology of obtained sinters. This is due to the structural inhomogeneity, as indicated by differences in phase composition. The synthesis process has a gradual character, and the obtaining of materials with different level of homogeneity allowed the determination of the order of subsequent intermediate phase formation.