We synthesized YOF(yttirum oxyfluoride) powders through solid state reactions using Y2O3 and YF3 as raw materials. The synthesis of crystalline YOF was started at 300 oC and completed at 500 oC. The atmosphere during synthesis had a negligible effect on the synthesis of the YOF powder under the investigated temperature range. The particle size distribution of the YOF was nearly identical to that of the mixed Y2O3 and YF3 powders. When the synthesized YOF powders were used as a raw material for the suspension plasma spray(SPS) coating, the crystalline phases of the coated layer consisted of YOF and Y2O3, indicating that oxidation or evaporation of YOF powders occurred during the coating process. Based on thermogravimetric analysis, the crystalline formation appeared to be affected by the evaporation of fluoride because of the high vapor pressure of the YOF material.

SiC-based composite materials with light weight, high durability, and high-temperature stability have been actively studied for use in aerospace and defense applications. Moreover, environmental barrier coating (EBC) technologies using oxide-based ceramic materials have been studied to prevent chemical deterioration at a high temperature of 1300℃ or higher. In this study, an ytterbium silicate material, which has recently been actively studied as an environmental barrier coating because of its high-temperature chemical stability, is fabricated on a sintered SiC substrate. Yb2O3 and SiO2 are used as the raw starting materials to form ytterbium disilicate (Yb2Si2O7). Suspension plasma spraying is applied as the coating method. The effect of the mixing method on the particle size and distribution, which affect the coating formation behavior, is investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. It is found that the originally designed compounds are not effectively formed because of the refinement and vaporization of the raw material particles, i.e., SiO2, and the formation of a porous coating structure. By changing the coating parameters such as the deposition distance, it is found that a denser coating structure can be formed at a closer deposition distance.

Lanthanum/gadolinium zirconate coatings are deposited via suspension plasma spray with suspensions fabricated by a planetary mill and compared with hot-pressed samples via solid-state reaction. With increase in processing time of the planetary mill, the mean size and BET surface area change rapidly in the case of lanthanum oxide powder. By using suspensions of planetary-milled mixture between lanthanum or gadolinium oxide and nano zirconia, dense thick coatings with fully-developed pyrochlore phases are obtained. The possibilities of these SPS-prepared coatings for TBC application are also discussed.

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings are fabricated via suspension plasma spray (SPS) for thermal barrier applications. Three different suspension sets are prepared by using a planetary mill as well as ball mill in order to examine the effect of starting suspension on the phase evolution and the microstructure of SPS prepared coatings. In the case of planetary-milled commercial YSZ powder, a deposited thick coating turns out to have a dense, vertically-cracked microstructure. In addition, a dense YSZ coating with fully developed phase can be obtained via suspension plasma spray with suspension from planetary-milled mixture of Y2O3 and ZrO2.