For pre-tests, diffusion barriers and material developments a DC/RF laboratory magentron sputtering unit is used. All necessary processing equipment to manufacture a complete TBC system, e.g. treatment of bond coats (peening, grit blasting, furnaces)
Characterization and testing
For improvements in the coatings and for quality assurance purposes state-of-the-art techniques such as X-ray fluorescence thickness and roughness measurements, and analytical equipment (SEM, TEM, thermo balances, thermography) are used. Testing is mostly done in standardized computer-controlled cyclic test rigs at temperatures between 850 and 1200°C. Oxidation experiments with control of weight changes and complex thermo-mechanical testing under temperature gradients are perfomed. Determination of the thermal conductivity is done by Laser flash with the possibility to analyse multilayer samples as well.