High Entropy Rare-earth Oxide (HERO) Coatings for Refractory Alloys
The HERO coating was developed to protect refractory alloys for application in the harsh hot section of the turbine engine environment addressing ARPA-E ULTIMATE Project Topic 2: Coating Development. The effort was both innovative in its utilization of high entropy rare earth oxides as well as transformational in our approach: holistic design of a single layer thermal/environmental barrier coating (T/EBC) for refractory alloys, with an excellent coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) match to the alloy substrate, chemical compatibility with the underlying alloy, low oxidant permeability, stability in combustion environments, low thermal conductivity, thermal shock resistance, and resistance to degradation by siliceous debris (calcium magnesium alumino-silicates-CMAS). The high entropy rare earth oxide approach enables two critical coating properties: tailoring CTE match to the substrate and, most significantly, substantially reduced thermal conductivity. The summation of these proposed coating capabilities goes well beyond the technical requirements specified in the ULTIMATE program objectives, and additionally is essential for a successful first stage turbine blade application.