Inhibition Mechanism of Transverse Cracking in Ceramic Abradable Coatings with Whisker‐Doped “Mud” Layers

Thermal cycling‐induced spalling failure hinders the application of ceramic abradable coatings. This study investigates the inhibition of transverse crack propagation in the “mud” layer of “brick‐mud” structured coatings via SiC whisker toughening. Finite element simulations and experiments were employed to analyze crack behavior in models with varying whisker orientations and quantities. Results reveal that whiskers induce both stress redistribution and stress concentration, effectively attracting and terminating thermal cracks. While a single transverse whisker showed limited effect, models with 3–11 transverse whiskers reduced crack propagation length by over 80% compared to the whisker‐free benchmark. Longitudinal whiskers also suppressed cracking, with a 73.1% reduction achieved in the L11 model (containing 11 longitudinal whiskers). Experimental observations identified whisker bridging, pull‐out, and fracture as active toughening mechanisms. The study demonstrates that optimized whisker incorporation significantly enhances crack resistance, providing an effective strategy for improving the thermal cycling durability of abradable coatings.