Environmental Barrier Coating with Porous Transition Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-temperature materials used in applications like gas turbine engines face significant degradation due to reactive species such as water vapor, leading to surface recession and mass loss, and existing environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) can suffer from spallation caused by gaseous reaction products, limiting their utility and integrity.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a porous transition layer between the substrate and the sealing layer, along with strategically placed openings to allow gaseous species to escape, and a hermetic sealing layer that can flow to seal defects, enhances the protection of the substrate by preventing detrimental species from reaching the surface and mitigating gas bubble buildup.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional EBC systems are applied to silicon-bearing materials, then protection against water vapor degradation is provided, but spallation occurs due to gaseous reaction products building up under the coating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating integrityVSAvoidspallation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a porous transition layer between the substrate and the hermetic sealing layer. This porous layer allows gaseous reaction products to escape through its pore structure, preventing pressure buildup that would cause spallation. The porous material serves as a pressure relief pathway while still providing environmental protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The porous transition layer acts as an intermediary between the substrate and the hermetic sealing layer. It mediates the conflict between needing a hermetic barrier and allowing gas escape by providing a transitional zone that facilitates controlled gas release while maintaining overall coating integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a hermetic sealing layer is applied to prevent contact between environment and substrate, then protection against reactive species is improved, but gaseous reaction products cannot escape causing spallation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection from water vaporVSAvoidgas bubble buildup
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hermetic sealing layer is applied over a porous transition layer that allows gas escape. The porous structure provides pathways for gaseous reaction products to leave the system, preventing bubble buildup while the hermetic layer continues to block environmental reactive species from reaching the substrate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The coating system is segmented into multiple functional layers: a porous transition layer for gas escape and a hermetic sealing layer for environmental protection. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between hermeticity and gas permeability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Temperature

If silicon-bearing materials are used for high-temperature applications, then attractive high-temperature properties are achieved, but significant surface recession and mass loss occur due to water vapor reaction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehigh-temperature service capabilityVSAvoidsurface recession
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The EBC system acts as an intermediary barrier between the water vapor environment and the silicon-bearing substrate. The coating layers, particularly the hermetic sealing layer, prevent direct contact between water vapor and the substrate, thereby eliminating the chemical reaction that causes surface recession and mass loss while allowing the substrate to maintain its high-temperature properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration significantly reduces spallation and enhances the protective capabilities of EBCs, allowing for higher temperature applications while maintaining the integrity of the coating and substrate, and can be economically and reproducibly produced.

Implementation Method 1

a hermetic sealing layer that can flow to seal defects, enhances the protection of the substrate by preventing detrimental species from reaching the surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion barrier: Diffusion Barrier

Implementation Method 2

The implementation of a porous transition layer between the substrate and the sealing layer, along with strategically placed openings to allow gaseous species to escape

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPorosity: Porosity

Implementation Method 3

a hermetic sealing layer that can flow to seal defects

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscous flow:

Data Source

PatentEP3174839B1Article comprising environmental barrier coating
Publication Date: 2022.04.20 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
  • EP3174839B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3174839B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

An article includes a substrate, a substantially hermetic sealing layer disposed on the substrate, and a porous transition layer disposed on the substrate between the sealing layer and the substrate. The article also includes one or more openings extending through the substrate to the porous transition layer.