Systems for applying a thermal barrier coating to a superalloy substrate

Abstract

Systems for applying a thermal barrier coating to a superalloy substrate including at least one target for supplying a material for making the thermal barrier coating; at least one laser operably directed toward the target for liberating atomic particles from the target; and a plasma torch for generating a plasma for accelerating and depositing the atomic particles onto the superalloy substrate as the thermal barrier coating where the superalloy substrate is a nickel based superalloy or a cobalt based superalloy.

1 . A system for applying a thermal barrier coating to a superalloy substrate comprising:
 at least one target for supplying a material for making the thermal barrier coating;   at least one laser operably directed toward the target for liberating atomic particles from the target; and   a plasma torch for generating a plasma for accelerating and depositing the atomic particles onto the superalloy substrate as the thermal barrier coating   
       wherein the superalloy substrate is a nickel based superalloy or a cobalt based superalloy. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the plasma torch comprises a gas stream that feeds into a discharge tube that activates the gas stream and creates the plasma. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the discharge tube comprises a plurality of inductively coupled plasma coils or a microwave, for generating a radio frequency field to activate the gas stream and create the plasma. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the gas stream comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, oxygen, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the material of the target is a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of zirconium oxide, yttrium oxide, alumina, and pre-alloyed combinations thereof; or a metallic material selected from the group consisting of zirconium, yttrium, aluminum, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the laser comprises a solid state pulsed laser. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the coating is tailored by varying any one or more operating parameter selected from the group consisting of laser pulse length, laser pulse energy, laser intensity, and laser spot size. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein:
 the laser pulse length is from about 5 femtoseconds to about 100 microseconds; 
 the laser pulse energy is from about 0.001 mJ to about 10 J; 
 the laser intensity is from about 10 4  W/cm 2  to about 10 15  W/cm 2 ; and 
 the laser spot size is from about 1 micrometer to about 5 millimeters. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the thermal barrier coating comprises a thickness of from about 50 microns to about 750 microns. 
     
     
         10 . A system for applying a thermal barrier coating to a superalloy substrate comprising:
 two targets for supplying a material for making the thermal barrier coating;   two lasers, one laser operably directed toward each of the targets for liberating atomic particles from the targets; and   a plasma torch for generating a plasma for accelerating and depositing the atomic particles onto the superalloy substrate as the thermal barrier coating   
       wherein the superalloy substrate is a nickel based superalloy or a cobalt based superalloy. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the plasma torch comprises a gas stream that feeds into a discharge tube that activates the gas stream and creates the plasma. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the discharge tube comprises a plurality of inductively coupled plasma coils or a microwave, for generating a radio frequency field to activate the gas stream and create the plasma. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the gas stream comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, oxygen, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the material of the target is a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of zirconium oxide, yttrium oxide, alumina, and pre-alloyed combinations thereof; or a metallic material selected from the group consisting of zirconium, yttrium, aluminum, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein each target comprises the same material. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the lasers comprise solid state pulsed lasers. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the coating is tailored by varying any one or more operating parameter selected from the group consisting of laser pulse length, laser pulse energy, laser intensity, and laser spot size. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein:
 the laser pulse length is from about 5 femtoseconds to about 100 microseconds; 
 the laser pulse energy is from about 0.001 mJ to about 10 J; 
 the laser intensity is from about 10 4  W/cm 2  to about 10 15  W/cm 2 ; and 
 the laser spot size is from about 1 micrometer to about 5 millimeters. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the thermal barrier coating comprises a thickness of from about 50 microns to about 750 microns. 
     
     
         20 . A system for applying a thermal barrier coating to a superalloy substrate comprising:
 two targets for supplying a material for making the thermal barrier coating, a first target comprising zirconium oxide and a second target comprising yttrium oxide;   two Nd:YAG lasers, one laser operably directed toward each of the targets for liberating atomic particles from the targets; and   a plasma torch for generating a plasma for accelerating and depositing the atomic particles onto the superalloy substrate as the thermal barrier coating comprising about 92% by weight zirconium oxide and about 8% by weight yttrium oxide.