Predictive Modeling and Experimental Optimization of the Electrodeposition-Sintering Process for Functional Ceramic...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Surface Engineering
• Ceramic Coatings

Background:

• Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is crucial for thermal barrier and protective coatings.
• Conventional sol-gel methods can be improved for controlled YSZ coating production.
• Electrodeposition-sintering offers a promising route for advanced ceramic coatings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize a sol-gel based electrodeposition-sintering process for YSZ coatings on stainless steel.
• To identify key process parameters influencing electrodeposition and sintering yields.
• To achieve defect-minimized YSZ coatings with controlled microstructures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a fractional factorial design for experimental efficiency.
• Employed multiple linear regression analysis to model process variables and response variables.
• Investigated the effects of precursor concentration, current density, sintering time, and temperature.

Main Results:

• Precursor concentration and current density were identified as the most significant factors for YSZ coating yield (R) and sintering yield (S).
• Optimal central conditions yielded ~3.9 mg·cm² with uniform morphology.
• Higher current density increased deposition yield but introduced defects like porosity and cracking.

Conclusions:

• The developed predictive, statistically validated approach optimizes electrodeposition parameters for defect-minimized YSZ coatings.
• This method offers enhanced control over ceramic coating microstructure compared to conventional techniques.
• The optimized process is suitable for demanding applications requiring protective and thermal barrier coatings.