Abstract:
Heat-insulating layer systems have to be provided with along service life of the heat-insulating layer in addition to having good heat-insulating properties. The inventive layer system comprises a ceramic layer which contains a mixture of two pyrochlore phases.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is the US National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2006/069766, filed Dec. 15, 2006 and claims the benefit thereof. The International Application claims the benefits of European application No. 06000337.3 filed Jan. 9, 2006, both of the applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a layer system comprising pyrochlores as claimed in the claims. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A layer system of this type has a substrate with a metal alloy based on nickel or cobalt. Products of this type are used in particular as a component of a gas turbine, in particular as gas turbine blades or vanes or heat shields. The components are exposed to a hot-gas stream of aggressive combustion gases. Therefore, they have to be able to withstand high thermal stresses. Furthermore, it is necessary for these components to be resistant to oxidation and corrosion. Moreover, mechanical demands are imposed in particular on moving components, e.g. gas turbine blades or vanes, but also on static components. The power and efficiency of a gas turbine in which components that can be exposed to hot gas are used increase as the operating temperature rises. Therefore, constant attempts have been made to achieve a higher gas turbine performance by improving the coating system. 
         [0004]    To achieve a high efficiency and a high power, components of the gas turbines which are particularly exposed to the high temperatures are coated with a ceramic material. This acts as a thermal barrier coating between the hot-gas stream and the metallic substrate. 
         [0005]    The metallic base body is protected from the aggressive hot-gas stream by coatings. Modern components generally have a plurality of coatings, which each perform specific tasks. Therefore, a multilayer system is employed. 
         [0006]    EP 0 944 746 B1 discloses the use of pyrochlores as a thermal barrier coating. 
         [0007]    However, it is not only good thermal barrier properties which are required for a material to be used as a thermal barrier coating, but also a good bonding to the substrate. 
         [0008]    EP 0 992 603 A1 discloses a thermal barrier coating system made up of gadolinium oxide and zirconium oxide, which is not supposed to have a pyrochlore structure. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0009]    Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a layer system which has good thermal barrier properties and also good bonding to the substrate and therefore a long service life of the entire layer system. 
         [0010]    The object is achieved by a layer system as claimed in the claims. 
         [0011]    The subclaims list further advantageous measures, which can be advantageously combined with one another as desired. 
         [0012]    The invention is based on the discovery that the entire system must be considered as a single unit, rather than individual layers or individual layers in combination having to be considered and optimized in isolation from one another in order to achieve a long service life. 
         [0013]    The layer system according to the invention has an outer ceramic layer, which includes a mixture of two pyrochlore phases, which has particularly good thermal properties (expansion coefficient matched to a substrate of a component, low coefficient of thermal conductivity) and harmonizes very well with an intermediate layer and the substrate of the component. The properties of the ceramic layer can be adapted to the substrate and the intermediate layer by way of the mixing ratio of these two pyrochlore phases. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. 
           [0015]    In which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a layer system according to the invention, 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows a list of superalloys, 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  shows a gas turbine, 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a turbine blade or vane, 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a combustion chamber. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a layer system  1  according to the invention. 
         [0022]    The layer system  1  comprises a metallic substrate  4 , which in particular for components used at high temperatures consists of a nickel-base or cobalt-base superalloy ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0023]    A metallic bonding layer  7  MCrAlX, preferably of type NiCoCrAlX is preferably present directly on the substrate  4  and preferably consists of either 
         [0024]    (11-13) wt % cobalt, in particular 12% Co 
         [0025]    (20-22) wt % chromium, in particular 21% Cr 
         [0026]    (10.5-11.5) wt % aluminum, in particular 11% Al 
         [0027]    (0.3-0.5) wt % yttrium, in particular 0.4% Y 
         [0028]    (1.5-2.5) wt % rhenium, in particular 2.0% Re 
         [0029]    and remainder nickel 
         [0030]    or preferably 
         [0031]    (24-26) wt % cobalt, in particular 25% Co 
         [0032]    (16-18) wt % chromium, in particular 17% Cr 
         [0033]    (9-11) wt % aluminum, in particular 10% Al 
         [0034]    (0.3-0.5) wt % yttrium, in particular 0.4% Y 
         [0035]    (1-2) wt % rhenium and in particular 1.5% Re 
         [0036]    remainder nickel 
         [0037]    or preferably 
         [0038]    29%-31% nickel, in particular 30% nickel, 
         [0039]    27%-29% chromium, in particular 28% chromium, 
         [0040]    7%-9% aluminum, in particular 8% aluminum, 
         [0041]    0.5%-0.7% yttrium, in particular 0.6% yttrium, 
         [0042]    0.6%-0.8% silicon, in particular 0.7% silicon and remainder cobalt, 
         [0043]    or preferably of 
         [0044]    27%-29% nickel, in particular 28% nickel, 
         [0045]    23%-25% chromium, in particular 24% chromium, 
         [0046]    9%-11% aluminum, in particular 10% aluminum, 
         [0047]    0.5%-0.7% yttrium, in particular 0.6% yttrium and 
         [0048]    remainder cobalt. 
         [0049]    Preferably, the protective layer  7  consists of one of these alloys. 
         [0050]    On this metallic bonding layer  7 , an aluminum oxide layer has formed even before the application of further ceramic layers or such an aluminum oxide layer (TGO) is formed in operation. 
         [0051]    An inner ceramic layer  10 , preferably a fully or partially stabilized zirconium oxide layer, is preferably present on the metallic bonding layer  7  or on the aluminum oxide layer (not shown). It is preferable to use yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide (YSZ), which preferably comprises 6 wt % to 8 wt % yttrium. It is equally possible to use calcium oxide, cerium oxide and/or hafnium oxide to stabilize zirconium oxide. 
         [0052]    The zirconium oxide is preferably applied as a plasma-sprayed layer, but may preferably also be applied as a columnar structure by means of electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD). 
         [0053]    The layer thickness of the inner layer  10  is preferably between 10% and 50% of the total layer thickness D of inner layer  10  and outer layer  13  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0054]    It is preferable for the layer thickness of the inner layer  10  to be between 10% and 40% or between 10% and 30% of the total layer thickness D. 
         [0055]    It is likewise advantageous if the layer thickness of the inner layer  10  amounts to 10% to 20% of the total layer thickness D. 
         [0056]    It is also preferable for the layer thickness of the inner layer  10  to be between 20% and 50% or between 20% and 40% of the total layer thickness D. 
         [0057]    Advantageous results are likewise achieved if the inner layer  10  forms between 20% and 30% of the total layer thickness D. 
         [0058]    It is preferable for the layer thickness of the inner layer  10  to amount to 30% to 50% of the total layer thickness D. 
         [0059]    It is likewise advantageous if the layer thickness of the inner layer  10  makes up 30% to 40% of the total layer thickness D. 
         [0060]    It is likewise preferable if the layer thickness of the inner layer  10  makes up between 40% and 50% of the total layer thickness D. 
         [0061]    Although the pyrochlore phase has better thermal barrier properties than the ZrO 2 -layer, the ZrO 2 -layer may be made of equal thickness to the pyrochlore phase. 
         [0062]    The inner ceramic layer  10  preferably has a thickness of from 40 μm to 60 μm, in particular 50 μm±10%. 
         [0063]    The total layer thickness D of the inner layer  10  and the outer layer  13  is preferably 300 μm or preferably 400 μm. The maximum total layer thickness is advantageously 800 μm or preferably at most 600 μm. 
         [0064]    Then, an outer ceramic layer  13  is applied to the stabilized zirconium oxide layer  10 ; according to the invention, this outer ceramic layer  13  includes two different pyrochlore phases of the general empirical formula A x B y O z  where x, y≈2, z≈7, i.e. minor defects or dopants are permissible, O=oxygen. 
         [0065]    In particular, x, y=2 and z=7. 
         [0066]    The ceramic layer therefore includes the pyrochlores A x B y O z  and C r D s O t  where r, s≈2, t≈7, O=oxygen. In particular, r, s=2 and t=7. 
         [0067]    The elements A, B, C and D may all be different from one another. 
         [0068]    If A and C are identical, B and D are different. If B and D are identical, A and C are different. 
         [0069]    The combination A=C and B=D is excluded. 
         [0070]    The combinations A=D, B≠C or C=B, A≠D are in principle possible. 
         [0071]    It is preferable to use gadolinium (Gd) for A, C. 
         [0072]    Further examples of A, C include lanthan (La), yttrium (Y), neodymium (Nd), ytterbium (Yb), Cerium (Ce) or aluminum (Al). 
         [0073]    Examples for B, D include hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), Cerium (Ce) or tin (Sn). 
         [0074]    It is preferable to use a hafnate or a zirconate, i.e. hafnium and/or zirconium for B, preferably Gd 2 Hf 2 O 7  (GHO) and/or Gd 2 Zr 2 O 7  (GZO). 
         [0075]    It is preferable for the outer ceramic layer  13  to consist of two pyrochlore phases. 
         [0076]    It is preferable to use Gd 2 Hf 2 O 7  and Gd 2 Zr 2 O 7 . 
         [0077]    There is in this case not a solid solution of the two pyrochlore phases, i.e. for example not Gd x (Hf y Zr w )O z  where x=2, y+w=2, z=7 (a solid solution also includes the pyrochlore phase but has two different elements on one lattice site (A, B); unless a solid solution is specifically referred to, a solid solution is not present). 
         [0078]    The proportion made up of the solid solutions A x (B y D w )O z , C s (D t B q )O t  or the oxides of A, B, C, D (i.e. for example Gd, Hf, Zr) amounts to at most 20 wt %, in particular at most 10 wt %. 
         [0079]    It is preferable for the proportion formed by the two pyrochlore phases to amount to at least 80 wt %, in particular at least 90 wt %. 
         [0080]    However, it is also possible for two solid solutions to be mixed with one another or a solid solution to be mixed with a non solid solution, i.e. for example A x (B y E w )O z  and C x (D y F w )O z  where E≠D and F≠B or A x B y O z  and C x (D y F w )O z  where F≠B. 
         [0081]    Therefore, the outer ceramic layer  13  is produced, for example, as follows: a powder consisting of two pyrochlore phases, for example gadolinium zirconate and a powder comprising gadolinium hafnate are mixed with one another in a mixing ratio and fed to the nozzle of a plasma spray installation. Other coating processes, such as for example PVD processes, in which two ingots consisting of gadolinium zirconate and gadolinium hafnate are used, are also conceivable. 
         [0082]    It is possible to use any desired mixing ratios of gadolinium zirconate and gadolinium hafnate. It is preferable to use a larger proportion of gadolinium zirconate. 
         [0083]    It is also preferable to use mixing ratios of 10:90, 20:80, 30:70 or 40:60 for gadolinium hafnate to gadolinium zirconate. 
         [0084]    It is also advantageous to use mixing ratios of 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20 or 90:10 for gadolinium hafnate to gadolinium zirconate. 
         [0085]    It is preferable to use a mixture of Gd 2 Hf 2 O 7  and Gd 2 Zr 2 O 7 , which are preferably uniformly mixed with one another or have a gradient. Therefore, by way of example, a higher proportion of Gd 2 Zr 2 O 7  is present in the outward direction toward the hot-gas side. 
         [0086]    The layer system  1  preferably comprises a substrate  4 , a bonding layer  7  (MCrAlY), optionally a TGO and an outer single-layer (for example GZO and/or GHO) or two-layer thermal barrier coating  13  (YSZ and GZO or GHO). 
         [0087]      FIG. 3  shows, by way of example, a partial longitudinal section through a gas turbine  100 . 
         [0088]    In the interior, the gas turbine  100  has a rotor  103 , with a shaft  101 , which is mounted such that it can rotate about an axis of rotation  102  and is also referred to as the turbine rotor. An intake housing  104 , a compressor  105 , a, for example, torroidal combustion chamber  110 , in particular an annular combustion chamber, with a plurality of coaxially arranged burners  107 , a turbine  108  and the exhaust-gas housing  109  follow one another along the rotor  103 . 
         [0089]    The annular combustion chamber  110  is in communication with a, for example, annular hot-gas duct  111 , where, by way of example, four successive turbine stages  112  form the turbine  108 . 
         [0090]    Each turbine stage  112  is formed, for example, from two blade or vane rings. As seen in the direction of flow of a working medium  113 , in the hot-gas duct  111  a row of guide vanes  115  is followed by a row  125  formed from rotor blades  120 . 
         [0091]    The guide vanes  130  are secured to an inner housing  138  of a stator  143 , whereas the rotor blades  120  of a row  125  are fitted to the rotor  103  for example by means of a turbine disk  133 . 
         [0092]    A generator (not shown) is coupled to the rotor  103 . 
         [0093]    While the gas turbine  100  is operating, the compressor  105  sucks in air  135  through the intake housing  104  and compresses it. The compressed air provided at the turbine-side end of the compressor  105  is passed to the burners  107 , where it is mixed with a fuel. The mix is then burnt in the combustion chamber  110 , forming the working medium  113 . From there, the working medium  113  flows along the hot-gas duct  111  past the guide vanes  130  and the rotor blades  120 . The working medium  113  is expanded at the rotor blades  120 , transferring its momentum, so that the rotor blades  120  drive the rotor  103  and the latter in turn drives the generator coupled to it. 
         [0094]    While the gas turbine  100  is operating, the components which are exposed to the hot working medium  113  are subject to thermal stresses. The guide vanes  130  and rotor blades  120  of the first turbine stage  112 , as seen in the direction of flow of the working medium  113 , together with the heat shield elements which line the annular combustion chamber  110 , are subject to the highest thermal stresses. 
         [0095]    To be able to withstand the temperatures which prevail there, they can be cooled by means of a coolant. 
         [0096]    Substrates of the components may likewise have a directional structure, i.e. they are in single-crystal form (SX structure) or have only longitudinally oriented grains (DS structure). 
         [0097]    By way of example, iron-base, nickel-base or cobalt-base superalloys are used as material for the components, in particular for the turbine blade or vane  120 ,  130  and components of the combustion chamber  110 . 
         [0098]    Superalloys of this type are known, for example, from EP 1 204 776 B1, EP 1 306 454, EP 1 319 729 A1, WO 99/67435 or WO 00/44949; these documents form part of the disclosure with regard to the chemical composition of the alloys. 
         [0099]    The guide vane  130  has a guide vane root (not shown here), which faces the inner housing  138  of the turbine  108 , and a guide vane head which is at the opposite end from the guide vane root. The guide vane head faces the rotor  103  and is fixed to a securing ring  140  of the stator  143 . 
         [0100]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a rotor blade  120  or guide vane  130  of a turbo machine, which extends along a longitudinal axis  121 . 
         [0101]    The turbo machine may be a gas turbine of an aircraft or of a power plant for generating electricity, a steam turbine or a compressor. 
         [0102]    The blade or vane  120 ,  130  has, in succession along the longitudinal axis  121 , a securing region  400 , an adjoining blade or vane platform  403  as well as a main blade or vane part  406  and a blade or vane tip  415 . 
         [0103]    As a guide vane  130 , the vane  130  may have a further platform (not shown) at its vane tip  415 . 
         [0104]    A blade or vane root  183 , which is used to secure the rotor blades  120 ,  130  to a shaft or a disk (not shown), is formed in the securing region  400 . 
         [0105]    The blade or vane root  183  is designed, for example, in hammerhead form. Other configurations, such as a fir-tree or dovetail root, are possible. 
         [0106]    The blade or vane  120 ,  130  has a leading edge  409  and a trailing edge  412  for a medium which flows past the main blade or vane part  406 . 
         [0107]    In the case of conventional blades or vanes  120 ,  130 , by way of example solid metallic materials, in particular superalloys, are used in all regions  400 ,  403 ,  406  of the blade or vane  120 ,  130 . 
         [0108]    Superalloys of this type are known, for example, from EP 1 204 776 B1, EP 1 306 454, EP 1 319 729 A1, WO 99/67435 or WO 00/44949; these documents form part of the disclosure with regard to the chemical composition of the alloy. 
         [0109]    The blade or vane  120 ,  130  may in this case be produced by a casting process, also by means of directional solidification, by a forging process, by a milling process or combinations thereof. 
         [0110]    Work pieces with a single-crystal structure or structures are used as components for machines which, in operation, are exposed to high mechanical, thermal and/or chemical stresses. 
         [0111]    Single-crystal work pieces of this type are produced, for example, by directional solidification from the melt. This involves casting processes in which the liquid metallic alloy solidifies to form the single-crystal structure, i.e. the single-crystal work piece, or solidifies directionally. 
         [0112]    In this case, dendritic crystals are oriented along the direction of heat flow and form either a columnar crystalline grain structure (i.e. grains which run over the entire length of the work piece and are referred to here, in accordance with the language customarily used, as directionally solidified) or a single-crystal structure, i.e. the entire work piece consists of one single crystal. In these processes, a transition to globular (polycrystalline) solidification needs to be avoided, since non-directional growth inevitably forms transverse and longitudinal grain boundaries, which negate the favorable properties of the directionally solidified or single-crystal component. 
         [0113]    Where the text refers in general terms to directionally solidified microstructures, this is to be understood as meaning both single crystals, which do not have any grain boundaries or at most have small-angle grain boundaries, and columnar crystal structures, which do have grain boundaries running in the longitudinal direction but do not have any transverse grain boundaries. This second form of crystalline structures is also described as directionally solidified microstructures (directionally solidified structures). 
         [0114]    Processes of this type are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,792 and EP 0 892 090 A1; these documents form part of the disclosure with regard to the solidification process. 
         [0115]    The blades or vanes  120 ,  130  may likewise represent layer systems  1  according to the invention or have other coatings to protect them against corrosion or oxidation, e.g. (MCrAlX: M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), X is an active element and represents yttrium (Y) and/or silicon and/or at least one rare earth element, or hafnium (Hf)). Alloys of this type are known from EP 0 486 489 B1, EP 0 786 017 B1, EP 0 412 397 B1 or EP 1 306454 A1, which are intended to form part of the present disclosure with regard to the chemical composition of the alloy. The density is preferably 95% of the theoretical density. 
         [0116]    A protective aluminum oxide layer (TGO=thermal grown oxide layer) forms on the MCrAlX-layer (as an intermediate layer or as the outermost layer). 
         [0117]    A thermal barrier coating  13  of the layer system  1  according to the invention is also present on the MCrAlX. 
         [0118]    The thermal barrier coating  13  covers the entire MCrAlX-layer. 
         [0119]    Columnar grains are produced in the thermal barrier coating by suitable coating processes, such as for example electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD). 
         [0120]    Other coating processes are conceivable, for example atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), LPPS, VPS or CVD. The thermal barrier coating may have porous grains which include micro-cracks or macro-cracks, in order to improve the resistance to thermal shocks. The thermal barrier coating is therefore preferably more porous than the MCrAlX-layer. 
         [0121]    The blade or vane  120 ,  130  may be hollow or solid in form. 
         [0122]    If the blade or vane  120 ,  130  is to be cooled, it is hollow and may also have film-cooling holes  418  (indicated by dashed lines). 
         [0123]      FIG. 5  shows a combustion chamber  110  of the gas turbine  100 . 
         [0124]    The combustion chamber  110  is configured, for example, as what is known as an annular combustion chamber, in which a multiplicity of burners  107  arranged circumferentially around an axis of rotation  102  open out into a common combustion chamber space  154 , which burners generate flames  156 . For this purpose, the combustion chamber  110  overall is of annular configuration positioned around the axis of rotation  102 . 
         [0125]    To achieve a relatively high efficiency, the combustion chamber  110  is designed for a relatively high temperature of the working medium M of approximately 1000° C. to 1600° C. To allow a relatively long service life even with these operating parameters, which are unfavorable for the materials, the combustion chamber wall  153  is provided, on its side which faces the working medium M, with an inner lining formed from heat shield elements  155 . 
         [0126]    Moreover, on account of the high temperatures in the interior of the combustion chamber  110 , it is also possible to provide a cooling system for the heat shield elements  155  or for their holding elements. The heat shield elements  155  are then hollow, for example, and may also have cooling holes (not shown) which open out into the combustion chamber space  154 . 
         [0127]    On the working medium side, each heat shield element  155  made from an alloy is equipped with a particularly heat-resistant protective layer (MCrAlX layer and/or ceramic coating) and therefore represents the layer system  1  according to the invention, or is made from material that is able to withstand high temperatures (solid ceramic bricks). 
         [0128]    These protective layers may be similar to the turbine blades or vanes, i.e. for example in MCrAlX: M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), X is an active element and represents yttrium (Y) and/or silicon and/or at least one rare earth element, or hafnium (Hf). Alloys of this type are known from EP 0 486 489 B1, EP 0 786 017 B1, EP 0 412 397 B1 or EP 1 306 454 A1, which are intended to form part of the present disclosure with regard to the chemical composition of the alloy. 
         [0129]    It is also possible for a ceramic thermal barrier coating  13  according to the invention, to be present on the MCrAlX. 
         [0130]    Columnar grains are produced in the thermal barrier coating by means of suitable coating processes, such as for example electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD). 
         [0131]    Other coating processes are conceivable, for example atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), LPPS, VPS or CVD. The thermal barrier coating may have porous grains provided with micro-cracks or macro-cracks in order to improve its resistance to thermal shocks. 
         [0132]    Refurbishment means that after they have been used, protective layers may have to be removed from turbine blades or vanes  120 ,  130 , heat shield elements  155  (e.g. by sand-blasting). Then, the corrosion and/or oxidation layers and products are removed. If appropriate, cracks in the turbine blade or vane  120 ,  130  or the heat shield element  155  are also repaired. This is followed by recoating of the turbine blades or vanes  120 ,  130 , heat shield elements  155 , after which the turbine blades or vanes  120 ,  130  or the heat shield elements  155  can be reused.