Interactions of Hafnia/Hafnon Composites with Molten Silicate Deposits

The article examines the chemical interactions between HfO2/HfSiO4 composites and melts that originate from siliceous debris ingested into gas turbine engines. Pellets with hafnon volume fractions of 50%, 70% and 100% were synthesized from powders of the pure components and exposed to two types of quinary siliceous deposits (one acidic and one basic) at 1400 & DEG;C for times ranging from 10 min to 4 h. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy examinations of reacted pellets show extensive melt penetration without evidence of an effective mitigating mechanism. Acidic melts preferentially react with hafnia to form hafnon while basic melts dissolve hafnon to form hafnia; in both cases, however, the melts penetrate extensively along grain and interphase boundaries. These processes are accompanied by swelling of the reaction layer followed by blistering and exfoliation of the affected coating material. The thermodynamics of the reactions, mechanisms of melt pene-tration, and implications for coating applications are discussed.