PhD Thesis Defence: Mr. Mahesh Kumar Kumawat (24/01/24)
Thesis title:
Uniaxial fatigue behavior of freestanding platinum-aluminide (PtAl) bond coat
Faculty advisor(s):
Prof. Vikram Jayaram (Co-Supervisor ERP - Md. Zafir Alam)
When?
24th January, 2024 (Wednesday), 11:00 AM (India Standard Time)
Where
KPA Auditorium, Dept of Materials Engineering
Abstract
Pt-aluminide (PtAl) bond coat is used as a part of Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) system on Ni-base superalloy components in advanced gas turbine aeroengines. The thickness of B2-NiAl intermetallic based diffused coating varies in the range of 60-100 µm. The coating provides excellent protection against oxidation to the superalloy components experiencing extreme temperatures of 1000°C during the operation of aeroengine. High temperatures combined with fluctuating mechanical loads can induce fatigue damage in the coating during service. Damage initiated in diffused coating propagates into the superalloy substrate and causes failure of the components. Therefore, evaluation of micro-mechanical properties of the PtAl bond coat is essential from the scientific and engineering application standpoints. The present study evaluates fatigue behavior of freestanding PtAl coating in the temperature range of ambient to 1000°C. Testing of the coating in freestanding form provides scientific understanding of inherent fatigue behavior and the evolution of fatigue damage in the coating without any influence from the substrate. Detailed microstructural characterization of the fatigue tested coating microsamples using SEM-EBSD, XRM and TEM has been carried out to ascertain the fatigue damage mechanisms in the coating. In the temperature regime of ambient to 800°C, high dislocation activity, formation of dislocation cells and dislocation-precipitate interactions induce strain hardening in the coating. The failure of the coating occurs by the formation of micro-voids due to de-cohesion of precipitate/B2-matrix interface in the heavily precipitated i= nterdiffusion zone (IDZ), subsequent formation of micro-cracks by coalescence of micro-voids, and final failure by propagation of micro-cracks. On the other hand, the coating exhibits extensive voiding, preferentially within its fine-grained outer layer, during fatigue deformation at temperatures of 900°C and beyond. The voids in the outer layer are primarily induced by creep. Cyclic loading leads to the formation of microcracks from these voids, and final failure is caused by the propagation of cracks. The deflection of crack across the coating layers and blunting of the crack tip in the IDZ layer delay the fatigue crack propagation.