U.S. patent application number 12/024522 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-13 for environmental barrier coating.
Invention is credited to Charles Bateman, William T. Collins, Vimal K. Pujari, Ara Vartabedian, David Woolley.
Application Number | 20120315492 12/024522 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39739012 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120315492 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pujari; Vimal K. ; et
al. |
December 13, 2012 |
ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER COATING
Abstract
The present invention relates generally to a multi-layered
article suitable for service in severe environments. The article
may be formed of a substrate, such as silicon carbide and/or
silicon nitride. The substrate may have a first layer of a mixture
of a rare earth silicate and Cordierite. The substrate may also
have a second layer of a rare earth silicate or a mixture of a rare
earth silicate and cordierite.
Inventors: |
Pujari; Vimal K.;
(Northboro, MA) ; Vartabedian; Ara; (Hudson,
MA) ; Collins; William T.; (Auburn, MA) ;
Woolley; David; (Ayer, MA) ; Bateman; Charles;
(Rutland, MA) |
Family ID: |
39739012 |
Appl. No.: |
12/024522 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60899306 |
Feb 2, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/446 ;
428/697 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C04B 41/52 20130101;
F05B 2230/90 20130101; C04B 41/52 20130101; C04B 41/52 20130101;
C04B 41/009 20130101; C04B 41/89 20130101; C04B 41/009 20130101;
C04B 41/009 20130101; C04B 35/565 20130101; C04B 41/4539 20130101;
C04B 41/5024 20130101; C04B 41/5024 20130101; C04B 35/584 20130101;
C04B 41/5024 20130101; C04B 41/4539 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/446 ;
428/697 |
International
Class: |
B32B 9/00 20060101
B32B009/00; B32B 18/00 20060101 B32B018/00 |
Goverment Interests
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] The Government of the United States of America has rights in
this invention pursuant to Subcontract No. 44000017386 awarded by
or for the U.S. Department of Energy under Prime Contract No.
DE-AC05-000R22725.
Claims
1. A multilayer article comprising: a substrate having a substrate
coefficient of thermal expansion; a first layer immediately
adjacent to at least one surface of the substrate, the first layer
comprising a first rare earth silicate and cordierite, wherein the
first layer has a first coefficient of thermal expansion that is a
same or greater than the substrate coefficient of thermal
expansion; and a second layer immediately adjacent to the first
layer, the second layer comprising a second rare earth silicate and
up to about 12 percent, by weight, of cordierite, wherein the
second layer lies at an exposed surface of the multilayer article,
the second layer has a second coefficient of thermal expansion that
is a same or greater than the first coefficient of thermal
expansion, and the second coefficient of thermal expansion is
greater than the substrate coefficient of thermal expansion.
2. The article of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a
silicon containing ceramic.
3. The article of claim 2, wherein the silicon containing ceramic
is selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon
carbide, silicon oxinitride, and combinations thereof.
4-5. (canceled)
6. The article of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises
greater than about 50 percent, by weight, of the first rare earth
silicate.
7. The article of claim 6, wherein the first layer comprises a
balance of cordierite.
8-12. (canceled)
13. The article of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises from
about 12 percent, by weight, to about 25 percent, by weight, of
cordierite.
14. (canceled)
15. The article of claim 13, wherein the first layer comprises
about 25 percent, by weight, of cordierite.
16. The article of claim 1, wherein the second layer comprises up
to about 6 percent, by weight, cordierite.
17. The article of claim 16, wherein the second layer comprises up
to about 3 percent, by weight, cordierite.
18. (canceled)
19. The article of claim 1, wherein the first rare earth silicate
is a silicate selected from the group consisting of
RE.sub.2SiO.sub.5, RE.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7, and combinations
thereof, wherein RE is a rare earth element selected from the group
consisting of yttrium, ytterbium, erbium, samarium, dysprosium,
lutetium, and cerium.
20. (canceled)
21. The article of claim 19, wherein the RE is yttrium.
22. (canceled)
23. The article of claim 1, wherein the first rare earth silicate
and the second rare earth silicate are RE.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7.
24. The article of claim 1, wherein the first rare earth silicate
and the second rare earth silicate are Y.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7.
25-39. (canceled)
40. The article of claim 1, wherein the first coefficient of
thermal expansion is from about 3.2.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to
about 4.0.times.10.sup.6/.degree. C.
41-42. (canceled)
43. The article of claim 1, wherein the second coefficient of
thermal expansion is from about 3.6.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to
about 4.1.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C.
44-45. (canceled)
46. A multilayer article comprising: a substrate having a substrate
coefficient of thermal expansion; and a plurality of layers,
wherein: a first layer of the plurality of layers is adjacent at
least one surface of the substrate and closer to the substrate than
any other layer within the plurality of layers, the first layer
comprising a first rare earth silicate and cordierite, wherein the
first layer has a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and a
second layer of the plurality of layers is farther from the
substrate than any other layer within the plurality of layers and
comprises a second rare earth silicate, wherein the second layer
has a second coefficient of thermal expansion; and the first
coefficient of thermal expansion is a same or greater than the
substrate coefficient of thermal expansion, each succeeding layer
that is farther from the substrate has a coefficient of thermal
expansion that is a same or greater than a coefficient of thermal
expansion of an immediately preceding layer and the second
coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the substrate
coefficient of thermal expansion.
47-55. (canceled)
56. The article of claim 46, wherein the first layer comprises from
about 12 percent, by weight, to about 25 percent, by weight, of
cordierite.
57-58. (canceled)
59. The article of claim 46, wherein the second layer comprises up
to about 6 percent, by weight, cordierite.
60-61. (canceled)
62. The article of claim 46, wherein the first rare earth silicate
is a silicate selected from the group consisting of
RE.sub.2SiO.sub.5, RE.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7, and combinations
thereof, wherein RE is a rare earth element selected from the group
consisting of yttrium, ytterbium, erbium, samarium, dysprosium,
lutetium, and cerium.
63-65. (canceled)
66. The article of claim 46, wherein the first rare earth silicate
and the second rare earth silicate are RE.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7.
67. The article of claim 46, wherein the first rare earth silicate
and the second rare earth silicate are Y.sub.2SiO.sub.7.
68-70. (canceled)
71. The article of claim 46, wherein the first coefficient of
thermal expansion is from about 3.2.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to
about 4.0.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C.
72. A multilayer article comprising: a substrate; a first coating
adjacent at least one surface of the substrate, the first coating
consisting essentially of a first rare earth silicate and
cordierite, wherein the first layer has a coefficient of thermal
expansion from about 3.2.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to about
4.0.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C.; and a second coating comprising a
second rare earth silicate adjacent the first coating, wherein the
second layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion from about
3.9.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to about
4.1.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/899,306
filed on Feb. 2, 2007, entitled "ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER COATING,"
which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all
purposes.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of Invention
[0004] The present invention is directed to a multilayer system for
protecting components exposed to environmental and thermal
conditions and, particularly, barrier coating for components for
heat engines, such as gas turbine engines.
[0005] 2. Background
[0006] Ceramics are commonly used in high temperature structural
applications such as gas turbine engines, internal combustion
engines, and heat exchangers. In particular, silicon containing
ceramics are often used in such extreme conditions, but are prone
to rapid recession in combustion environments in which water vapor
is typically produced.
[0007] Temperature capability of structural components exposed to
environmental and thermal conditions limit efficiency and emissions
of gas turbine engines. Components used in gas turbine engines,
which may be exposed to temperatures in excess of 1000.degree. C.,
should be strong and resist corrosion due to exposure to air
streams as well as abrasion and shock resistance against collision
with fine particles. In particular, components such as turbine
rotors, turbine blades, nozzles, combustors, scrolls, nozzle
supports, seal rings, spring rings, diffusers, ducts and shrouds in
the engine hot section are susceptible to coating loss from
spallation or erosion.
[0008] Silicon containing ceramics typically form a slow forming
silica (SiO.sub.2) scale in clean oxidizing environments. However,
water vapor, molten salts, or a reducing atmosphere present in the
environment may react with the silica scale to form liquid
silicates. Oxygen may then diffuse through the liquid silicate and
oxidize the ceramic substrate. High water vapor levels result in
the formation of hydrated silica species (Si(OH)x) and subsequent
evaporation of the silica scale. Oxidizing and reducing gases in
complex combustion atmospheres generate SiO(g) directly or
SiO.sub.2 which is reduced to SiO(g). To reduce the rate of
recession, ceramics may be coated as, for example, disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,759,151 issued to Lee; U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,821
issued to Fukudome et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,649 issued to
Tanaka et al.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0009] The present invention generally relates to a multilayer
system for protecting components.
[0010] The present invention provides, in one embodiment a
multilayer article comprising a substrate, a first layer overlying
at least one surface of the substrate, and a second layer overlying
the first layer. The first layer comprises a first rare earth
silicate and cordierite, and the second layer comprises a second
rare earth silicate and up to about 12 percent, by weight, of
cordierite.
[0011] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a
multilayer article comprising a substrate, a first coating adjacent
at least one surface of the substrate, and a second coating
adjacent the first coating. The first coating consists essentially
of a first rare earth silicate and cordierite, and the second
coating comprises a second rare earth silicate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] In the drawings:
[0013] FIG. 1a is a micrograph of one sample of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 1b is a micrograph of another sample of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a graph showing recession rates of various
compositions of the present invention.
[0016] Other advantages, novel features and objects of the
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of the invention when considered in conjunction with
the accompanying drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] This invention is not limited in its application to the
details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth
in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The
invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or
of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and
terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and
should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including,"
"comprising," or "having," "containing," "involving," and
variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed
thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
[0018] In accordance with one or more embodiments, the present
invention relates generally to a multilayer article suitable for
service in environmental and thermal conditions. For example, the
article may be exposed to humid conditions. Alternatively, the
article may be exposed to high temperature conditions, such as
1000.degree. C. or higher. During service, the article may be
exposed to high velocity conditions of 5 m/sec to 50 m/sec. In one
embodiment the article may be exposed to any two or more conditions
of humidity, high temperature, and high velocity. One example of
severe environmental conditions includes a gas jet turbine
environment with humid, high velocity (5 m/sec to 50 m/sec.), and
high temperature (greater than about 1000.degree. C.)
conditions.
[0019] Embodiments of the present invention may generally comprise
an article formed of a substrate. The substrate may by any material
suitable for a particular purpose. In one embodiment, the material
may be suitable for high temperature and/or high pressure
structural applications. For example, the substrate may be a
ceramic or a silicon-containing metal alloy. In one embodiment, the
substrate is a silicon containing ceramic, such as silicon nitride,
silicon carbide, silicon oxynitride including silicon aluminum
oxynitride, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the
substrate may be silicon carbide having a coefficient of thermal
expansion (CTE) of about 4.5.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. In another
embodiment, the substrate may be silicon nitride having a CTE of
about 3.3.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. In another embodiment, the
substrate may comprise at least about 50 percent, by weight, of
silicon nitride. In another embodiment, the substrate consists
essentially of silicon nitride.
[0020] The substrate may be partially or entirely overlaid with two
or more layers of a mixture comprising cordierite and a rare earth
silicate. As is known in the art, the mineral cordierite is
magnesium aluminum silicate or Mg.sub.2Al.sub.4Si.sub.5O.sub.18 and
has a CTE of about 2.48.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. As used herein,
references to cordierite or any other material such as a rare earth
silicate is meant to include the pure form of the material as well
as forms including impurities. An amount of cordierite in each
layer may decrease as that layer is further removed from the
substrate. Accordingly, the amount of the rare earth silicate may
increase in each layer as that layer is further removed from the
substrate. The final outer layer may, but need not, comprise
cordierite. Alternatively, the amount of cordierite in each layer
may increase as that layer is further removed from the substrate.
Accordingly, the amount of the rare earth silicate may decrease in
each layer as that layer is further removed from the substrate.
[0021] In one embodiment, cordierite may be layered on one or more
surfaces of the substrate forming a first layer. In one embodiment,
the first layer may cover all surfaces of the substrate. In another
embodiment, the first layer may be a coating disposed on the
surface of the substrate. The first layer of cordierite overlaying
the substrate may be a mixture of cordierite and a rare earth
silicate. In one embodiment, the mixture of rare earth silicate and
the ratio of the rare earth silicate to cordierite may be selected
to provide a composition having a CTE similar to that of the
substrate. In another embodiment, the mixture of rare earth
silicate and the ratio of the rare earth silicate to cordierite may
be selected to provide an intermediate CTE, between that of the
substrate and that of any additional layers. Providing a first
layer having an intermediate CTE or a CTE similar to that of the
substrate may reduce or eliminate inter layer stresses between the
outer layer and the substrate during formation of the layer or in
service operation of the article, which may lead to premature
failure.
[0022] The rare earth silicate may be any of
RE.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7, RE.sub.2SiO.sub.5, and combinations
thereof, where RE is a rare earth element. The rare earth element
may be selected from any rare earth element suitable for a
particular purpose. In one embodiment, the rare earth element may
be any one of yttrium (Y), ytterbium (Yb), erbium (Er), samarium
(Sm), dysprosium (Dy), lutetium (Lu), and cerium (Ce). In one
embodiment, the rare earth element is Yttrium. In yet another
embodiment, the first layer consists essentially of cordierite and
the rare earth silicate. As used herein, the phrase "consisting
essentially of" is used to list major components of a mixture, and
is not meant to exclude impurities or trace levels of components
which do not affect one or more characteristics of the mixture.
[0023] The first layer adjacent the substrate may have a CTE
similar to that of a CTE of the substrate. In one embodiment, the
first layer may have a CTE ranging between and including about
3.2.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to about
4.0.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. In another embodiment, the first
layer may have a CTE ranging between and including about
3.6.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to about
4.0.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. In yet another embodiment, the CTE
of the first layer may range between and including about
3.8.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C.
[0024] In one embodiment, the first layer may comprise at least
about 6 percent, by weight of cordierite. In another embodiment,
the first layer may comprise between and including about 6 percent,
by weight, and about 43 percent, by weight, of cordierite. In yet
another embodiment, the first layer may comprise between and
including about 12 percent, by weight of cordierite and about 25
percent, by weight, of cordierite. In one embodiment, the first
layer may comprise about 12 percent, by weight, of cordierite. In
another embodiment, the first layer may comprise about 25 percent,
by weight, of cordierite.
[0025] In one embodiment, the first layer may comprise at least
about 50 percent, by weight, of the rare earth silicate. In another
embodiment, the first layer may comprise between and including
about 57 percent, by weight, and about 94 percent, by weight, of
the rare earth silicate. In yet another embodiment, the first layer
may comprise between and including about 57 percent, by weight, and
about 88 percent, by weight, of the rare earth silicate. In another
embodiment, the first layer may comprise about 75 percent, by
weight, of the rare earth silicate. In yet another embodiment, the
first layer may consist essentially of the rare earth silicate and
cordierite.
[0026] A second layer comprising a rare earth silicate may overlay
a portion or the entire first layer and may form a coating disposed
on the first layer. The second layer may, but need not, comprise
cordierite. The rare earth silicate in the second layer may be any
rare earth silicate suitable to withstand a severe environment. The
rare earth silicate may be any of RE.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7,
RE.sub.2SiO.sub.5, and combinations thereof, where RE is a rare
earth element. The rare earth element may be selected from any rare
earth element suitable for a particular purpose. In one embodiment,
the rare earth element may be any one of Yttrium (Y), ytterbium
(YB), Erbium (Er), Samarium (Sm), Dysprosium (Dy), Lutetium (Lu)
and Cerium (Ce). In one embodiment, the rare earth element is
Yttrium. The rare earth silicate in the second layer may, but need
not, be the same rare earth silicate present in the first
layer.
[0027] In one embodiment, the second layer may comprise up to and
including about 12 percent, by weight, cordierite. In another, the
second layer may comprise up to and including about 6 percent, by
weight, of cordierite. In yet another embodiment, the second layer
may comprise up to and including about 3 percent, by weight, of
cordierite. In yet another embodiment, the second layer may not
include any appreciable amount of cordierite. As used herein, the
phrase "appreciable amount" is defined as an amount of cordierite
that effects one or more characteristics of the rare earth
silicate, and is not meant to include trace amounts of
cordierite.
[0028] In one embodiment, the second layer may comprise up to and
including about 100 percent, by weight, of the rare earth silicate.
In another embodiment, the second layer may comprise up to and
including about 97 percent, by weight, of the rare earth silicate.
In another embodiment, the second layer may comprise up to and
including about 94 percent, by weight, of the rare earth silicate.
In yet another embodiment, the second layer may comprise up to and
including about 88 percent, by weight, of the rare earth
silicate.
[0029] The second layer may have a CTE between and including about
3.6.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to about
4.1.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. In another embodiment, the second
layer may have a CTE between and including about
3.9.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. to about
4.1.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C. In yet another embodiment, the
second layer may have a CTE of about 4.0.times.10.sup.-6/.degree.
C.
[0030] In one embodiment, the percent, by weight, of cordierite
present in the second layer may be less than the percent, by
weight, of the cordierite present in the first layer. Without being
bound by any particular theory, the presence of cordierite in the
first layer may improve the bond between the second layer and the
substrate, by providing a layer having a CTE greater than that of
the substrate, but less than that of the second layer. The presence
of cordierite in the second layer may perhaps strengthen the bond
of the second layer to the first layer. However, presence of
cordierite in the second layer, which may be directly exposed to
severe environments, may also adversely affect the recession rate
of the second layer. In applications in which it is desirable to
include cordierite in the second layer, a trade off in inter-layer
bond strength and recession rate may result.
[0031] Mixtures of cordierite and the rare earth silicate may be
prepared by dry mixing commercially available powders. Powdered
cordierite may have an average particle size of less than or equal
to about 2.6 micron. Powdered Yittrium may have an average particle
size of less than or equal to about 1 micron. In one embodiment,
the powder may have an average particle size of about 0.5 micron.
Powders may be formed from aggregates milled and screened to
produce a desired particle size. A sol gel of the powder in
tetraethyl ortho silicate (TEOS) may be formed, calcined, and
milled to produce the powder or powder mixture of cordierite and
the rare earth silicate.
[0032] The first and/or second layers may be formed on the
substrate by known methods, such as dip, pack cementation, chemical
vapor deposition (CVD), plasma vapor deposition (PVD), slurry spray
coating. In one embodiment, the article to be coated may be dipped
in a slurry containing the rare earth silicate and/or the mixture
of the rare earth silicate and cordierite.
[0033] Each of the first and second layers may have a thickness
between and including about 2 microns to 100 microns. The thickness
of the first layer may, but need not, be the same as the thickness
of the second layer. In one embodiment, the thickness of the first
layer is less than the thickness of the second layer. In another
embodiment, the thickness of the first layer is greater than the
thickness of the second layer. In one embodiment, the combined
thickness of the first and the second layers may range between and
including about 5 microns and about 200 microns. In another
embodiment, the first and second layers may have a thickness
between and including about 20 microns to about 50 microns. In
another embodiment, the combined thickness of the first and second
layers may range between and including about 50 and about 200
microns.
[0034] Powders of rare earth silicates and mixtures of rare earth
silicates and cordierite may be formed into slurries for dip
coating. Slurries for dip coating may be water, solvent or polymer
precursor based and may include processing aids and binders, such
as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyphenylene vinylene (PPV).
Coatings applied by the dipping process, may be further densified
by known methods, such as reactive sintering, microwave sintering,
and/or hot isostatic pressing (HIP).
[0035] In one embodiment, a substrate may be dipped in a water,
solvent or polymer based slurry containing the mixture of the rare
earth silicate and cordierite, and dried. The coated substrate may
be sintered between and including about 1,200.degree. C. and about
1,400.degree. C., and then cooled. In one embodiment, the coated
substrate may be heated and/or cooled at a rate of about 10.degree.
C. to about 15.degree. C. per minute to or from the sintering
temperature. In one embodiment, the layered substrate is sintered
at a temperature of about 1,325.degree. C. The substrate may be
maintained at the sintering temperature for about 1 hour to about 3
hours. Sintering may occur in a reducing environment. In one
embodiment, the layer may be sintered in Argon, oxygen or air. The
coated substrate may then be dipped in a slurry containing the rare
earth silicate or the mixture of the rare earth silicate and
cordierite, dried, and sintered.
[0036] Without being bound by any particular theory, the presence
of cordierite in the first layer may reduce undesirable interface
stresses at the surface of the substrate and/or at the interface
with the second layer. Cordierite may also act as a liquid phase
sintering aid and may allow the coating to plastically deform
during densification thereby relieving stresses and reducing the
likelihood of crack formation due to shrinkage during
densification.
EXAMPLES
[0037] The invention may be further understood with reference to
the following examples, which are intended to serve as an
illustration only, and not as limitations of the present invention
as defined in the claims herein.
Example I
[0038] FIGS. 1a and 1b are micrographs showing embodiments of the
present invention in which silicon nitride is coated with a first
layer containing cordierite and Y.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7 and a second
layer of Y.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7. Test coupons of silicon nitride of
about 30 mm.times.12 mm.times.5 mm were dip coated using one of
four aqueous slurries of powdered compositions 1-4. Each slurry
contained about 30 volume percent of the respective powered sample
1-4 of Y.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7 and cordierite, about 1 weight
percent of Darvan 821, a surfactant available from R. T. Vanderbilt
Company, Inc., Norwalk, Conn., and the remaining volume percent of
water. The viscosity of the slurries ranged from about 50 cps to
about 100 cps. After dip coating, the test coupons were sintered at
about 1,300.degree. C. Each sample was then dip coated to form a
second layer of Y.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7, dried and sintered again at
about 1,300.degree. C. As seem in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the coating
formed are free from cracks, indicating that the intermediate layer
may have reduced potential stresses between the silicon nitride
substrate and the Y.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7 outer layer.
Example II
[0039] Hot pressed monoliths of four potential coating
compositions, listed in Table I, were prepared. The coating
composition powders were mixed in an aqueous solution and dried to
form a powder. The powder was used to form 3 in. by 3 in. plates by
hot pressing at about 1,300.degree. C. to about 1,500.degree. C.
for one hour in nitrogen at 3.3 ksi. The plates were machined into
test coupons and used to evaluate material properties such as
microstructure, density, CTE and environmental stability.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE I Sample Wt. % Y.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7 Wt. %
cordierite CTE .times. 10.sup.-6/.degree. C. 1 100 0 4.10 2 88 12
3.84 3 94 6 3.98 4 57 43 3.24
[0040] As can be seen from Table I, an increase in percent, by
weight, of cordierite lowered the CTE of the sample when compared
to 100 percent, by weight, Y.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.7, allowing
compositions of to be tailored to a desired CTE.
[0041] High Pressure Keiser Rig Testing of Samples 1-4 was
performed with results shown in FIG. 2. The tests were performed at
1250.degree. C., 18 atm water vapor, 20 atm total pressure, and at
a low flow of 33 10.sup.-4 m/s for a total of 2,500 hours. For
comparison, samples of quartz, and chemical vapor deposition
silicon carbide were also tested and results reported in FIG. 2. As
seen in FIG. 2, Sample 1 had a weight loss of about 0.06 percent,
Sample 2 had a weight loss of about 0.25 percent, Sample 3 had a
weight loss of about 0.12 percent and Sample 4 had a weight loss of
about 0.56 percent after an exposure of 2,500 hours. In comparison,
the quartz sample had a weight loss of about 3 percent after only
1,500 hours and silicon carbide had a weight loss of about 0.57
percent after an exposure of less than 1000 hours. As seen in FIG.
2, an increase in percent, by weight, of cordierite increased the
percent weight loss of the sample.
[0042] Extrapolation of the test data in FIG. 2 to 10,000 hours
resulted in a recession rate of Sample 1 of 4 microns, Sample 2 of
12 microns, Sample 3 of 9 microns, Sample 4 of 32 microns, and
chemical vapor deposition of silicon carbide of 157 microns.
[0043] The results shown in FIG. 2 indicate that any of Samples 2-4
may be used as a first layer and any of Samples 1-3 may be used as
a second layer which may be exposed to severe environmental
conditions. For example, in one embodiment, the substrate may be
coated with a first layer having a composition of Sample 4 and then
with a second layer having a composition of any of Samples 1-3.
Likewise, the substrate may be coated with a first layer having a
composition of Sample 2, and then with a second layer having a
composition of any of Samples 1 and 3. In another embodiment, the
substrate may be coated with a first layer having a composition of
Sample 3 and a second layer having a composition of any of Samples
1-2 and 4.
[0044] Having thus described several aspects of at least one
embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various
alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to
those skilled in the art. For example, other layers in addition to
the first and second layers noted above may be applied to the
substrate, and may provide a sequential reduction or increase in
the amount of cordierite present in each layer as the layer becomes
further removed from the substrate. Such alterations,
modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this
disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of
the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings
are by way of example only.
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