Development of rare earth metal-modified heat-resistant coatings for gas turbine blades

This paper presents an investigation into the influence of Y-La and Y-Hf-La modifiers on the structure and properties of Ni-Cr-Al consumable cathodes used for heat-resistant coatings on turbine blades via the arc-ion plating method. The study shows that the introduction of these modifiers positively affects the structure formation process of the consumable cathodes. The modifiers contribute to a higher degree of microstructural homogeneity in the cathodes, achieved through the formation of nanosized stabilizing phases between the alloying elements and the rare earth metal groups. This study experimentally confirms that Ni-Cr-Al coatings produced with the Y-La and Y-Hf-La modified cathodes outperform traditional Y-only modified coatings in oxidation tests. Structural analysis of the coatings reveals that samples with Y-Hf-La exhibit greater homogeneity and fewer defects, which is particularly important when depositing coatings with large thicknesses (over 40 m). It was found that the introduction of the Y-Hf-La complex enables the application of coatings up to 90 m thick by forming a less defective structure. Additionally, it has been established that Y-Hf-La modification enhances the adhesion of the coating to the substrate and allows for maximum uniformity in the distribution of alloying elements throughout the entire thickness of the applied coating.