Research Progress in Ceramic Coatings

A special issue of Ceramics (ISSN 2571-6131).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 4894

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Coating Processes, Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, Študentská 2, 911 50 Trenčín, Slovakia
Interests: thin films; coatings; ceramics; thermal barrier coatings; coatings on bioimplants; corrosion; diffusion barrier coatings; geopolymer coatings; PVD coatings; PECVD
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Guest Editor
Department of Aerospace and Aircraft Engineering, Roehampton Vale Campus, Kingston University, Friars Avenue, London SW15 3DW, UK
Interests: surface coatings; CMCs; ultra high temperature ceramics; water vapour and CMAS corrosion; electron microscopic studies; surface microstructure

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ceramic coatings have garnered significant attention in many industries owing to their superior properties, including high hardness, wear and corrosion resistance, and superior protection in aggressive environments. They are also utilized in energy conversion and storage devices. Transition metal-based nitride, carbide, oxide, composite, and multicomponent ceramics have been widely employed as coating materials in various industries for over three decades. High-entropy ceramics have also garnered substantial industrial attention in recent years due to their exceptional physio-mechanical characteristics. Recent studies have emphasized our capacity to improve the microstructure of ceramic coatings via the addition of appropriate elements and adjusting process conditions to enhance the coating performance.

The aim of this Special Issue, entitled “Research Progress in Ceramic Coatings”, is to present state-of-the-art advancements in ceramic coatings for various industrial applications. Thus, we welcome papers on innovative advancements in functional ceramic coatings, including self-repairing, bioactive, and superhydrophobic coatings. These coatings have potential applications in various industries, such as the biomedical, automotive, aerospace, and energy sectors. Papers that address the optimization, characterization and evaluation of the comprehensive properties of advanced ceramic coatings deposited using various coating techniques including PVD, CVD, sol–gel, as well as thermal spray methods are welcome in this Special Issue. We also welcome papers related to the challenges and future perspectives of advanced ceramic coatings, and those enhancing their performance and exploring new applications.

Dr. Kamalan Kirubaharan Amirtharaj Mosas
Dr. Doni Daniel
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Ceramics is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ceramic coatings
  • PVD
  • CVD
  • thermal spray coatings
  • anticorrosion and anti-wear resistant coatings
  • nanocomposite coatings
  • mechanical and tribological properties
  • corrosion resistance
  • high-temperature stability
  • thermal barrier coatings
  • coatings for energy storage and conversion

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 10644 KiB  
Article
Ultraviolet-Sensor Based on Tin-Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Films Grown by Spray Pyrolysis
by Matías Valdés, Edgar A. Villegas, Leandro A. Ramajo and Rodrigo Parra
Ceramics 2024, 7(4), 1500-1512; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics7040097 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 575
Abstract
The development of sensors that can monitor ultraviolet radiation has many implications for daily life, and even more so if the focus is on low-cost solution processes and the use of eco-friendly materials. In this study, we produced a UV-sensor based on Sn-doped [...] Read more.
The development of sensors that can monitor ultraviolet radiation has many implications for daily life, and even more so if the focus is on low-cost solution processes and the use of eco-friendly materials. In this study, we produced a UV-sensor based on Sn-doped ZnO thin films grown by spray pyrolysis, with a doping content ranging from 1 to 10 at.%. The study focuses on the characterization of the films and the device, and their potential for UV detection. Structural analysis via XRD, FESEM, and STEM confirms the polycrystalline nature of the films, with a hexagonal single-phase wurtzite structure of ZnO. Although the dopant content in the films was widely varied, optoelectronic properties such as transmittance, resistivity, energy gap, density, and carrier mobility are not significantly modified. Sprayed Sn-doped ZnO films demonstrated high sensitivity to ultraviolet light, whether monochromatic or that coming from solar radiation. Outdoor measurements showed promising performance of the UV-sensor, indicating its potential applicability for real-time UV monitoring and potential use. Overall, sprayed Sn-doped ZnO thin films offer a viable and low-cost solution for the fabrication of UV-sensors with desirable properties such as a wide and direct bandgap, high sensitivity, and ease of fabrication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress in Ceramic Coatings)
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18 pages, 6591 KiB  
Article
Bioactive-Glass-Incorporated Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation Coating on AZ31 Mg Alloy: Preparation and Characterization
by Syed Ahmed Uzair, Fayaz Hussain and Muhammad Rizwan
Ceramics 2024, 7(4), 1459-1476; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics7040094 - 12 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1013
Abstract
Magnesium alloys, despite having a number of attractive properties, encounter difficulties in clinical applications due to their rapid degradation rate in the physiological environment. In this work, a Bioglass (BG)-incorporated plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating was applied on the AZ31 Mg alloy to [...] Read more.
Magnesium alloys, despite having a number of attractive properties, encounter difficulties in clinical applications due to their rapid degradation rate in the physiological environment. In this work, a Bioglass (BG)-incorporated plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating was applied on the AZ31 Mg alloy to overcome this major limitation. PEO treatment was carried out in constant current mode with and without the addition of BG particles. The effects of BG particles on the coating’s morphology, composition, adhesion, electrochemical corrosion resistance and bioactivity were analyzed. SEM micrographs revealed that BG submicron particles were well adhered to the surface and the majority of them were entrapped in the micropores. Furthermore, the adhesion strength of the coated layer was adequate—a maximum value of 22.5 N was obtained via a micrometer scratch test. Potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results revealed that the degradation rate of the Mg alloy was slowed down by up to 100 times, approximately. Moreover, the PEO–BG layer considerably enhanced the in vitro bioactivity of the Mg alloy in a simulated body fluid (SBF) environment; a prominent apatite layer was witnessed through SEM imaging. Consequently, the BG-incorporated PEO layer on Mg AZ31 alloy exhibited some promising outcomes and, therefore, can be considered for biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress in Ceramic Coatings)
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19 pages, 18681 KiB  
Article
Influence of Nanoceramic-Plated Waste Carbon Fibers on Alkali-Activated Mortar Performance
by Matteo Sambucci, Yazeed A. Al-Noaimat, Seyed Mostafa Nouri, Mehdi Chougan, Seyed Hamidreza Ghaffar and Marco Valente
Ceramics 2024, 7(2), 821-839; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics7020054 - 19 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1002
Abstract
Waste carbon fibers as reinforcing elements in construction materials have recently gained increasing interest from researchers, providing outstanding strength performance and a lower environmental footprint compared to virgin fibers. Combination with cement-free binders, namely alkali-activated materials, is becoming increasingly important for sustainable development [...] Read more.
Waste carbon fibers as reinforcing elements in construction materials have recently gained increasing interest from researchers, providing outstanding strength performance and a lower environmental footprint compared to virgin fibers. Combination with cement-free binders, namely alkali-activated materials, is becoming increasingly important for sustainable development in the construction industry. This paper presents results relating to the potential use of waste carbon fibers in alkali-activated mortars. The waste carbon fiber fraction utilized in this research is difficult to integrate as reinforcement in ceramic–cementitious matrices due to its agglomerated form and chemical inertness. For this reason, a nanoceramic coating pretreatment based on nanoclay has been implemented to attempt improvements in terms of deagglomeration, dispersibility, and compatibility with alkali-activated materials. After chemical–physical and microstructural analysis on the nanoclay-plated fibers (including X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, and electron microscopy) mortars were produced with four different dosages of treated and untreated waste fibers (0.25 wt.%, 0.5 wt.%, 0.75 wt.%, and 1 wt.%). Mechanical tests and fractographic investigations were then performed. The nanoclay coating interacts compatibly with the waste carbon fibers and increases their degree of hydrophilicity to improve their deagglomeration and dispersion. Compared to the samples incorporating as-received fillers, the addition of nanoclay-coated fibers improved the strength behavior of the mortars, recording a maximum increase in flexural strength of 19% for a fiber content of 0.25 wt.%. This formulation is the only one providing an improvement in mechanical behavior compared to unreinforced mortar. Indeed, as the fibrous reinforcement content increases, the effect of the nanoclay is attenuated by mitigating the improvement in mechanical performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress in Ceramic Coatings)
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17 pages, 8091 KiB  
Article
Hot Corrosion Behavior of Plasma-Sprayed Gd2Zr2O7/YSZ Functionally Graded Thermal Barrier Coatings
by Rajasekaramoorthy Manogaran, Karthikeyan Alagu, Anderson Arul, Anandh Jesuraj, Dinesh Kumar Devarajan, Govindhasamy Murugadoss and Kamalan Kirubaharan Amirtharaj Mosas
Ceramics 2024, 7(2), 579-595; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics7020038 - 29 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1542
Abstract
The development of advanced thermal barrier coating (TBC) materials with better hot corrosion resistance, phase stability, and residual stresses is an emerging research area in the aerospace industry. In the present study, four kinds of TBCs, namely, single-layer yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), single-layer gadolinium [...] Read more.
The development of advanced thermal barrier coating (TBC) materials with better hot corrosion resistance, phase stability, and residual stresses is an emerging research area in the aerospace industry. In the present study, four kinds of TBCs, namely, single-layer yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), single-layer gadolinium zirconate (GZ), bilayer gadolinium zirconate/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ/GZ), and a multilayer functionally graded coating (FGC) of YSZ and GZ, were deposited on NiCrAlY bond-coated nickel-based superalloy (Inconel 718) substrates using the atmospheric plasma spray technique. The hot corrosion behavior of the coatings was tested by applying a mixture of Na2SO4 and V2O5 onto the surface of TBC, followed by isothermal heat treatment at 1273 K for 50 h. The characterization of the corroded samples was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to identify physical and chemical changes in the coatings. GIXRD was used to analyze the residual stresses of the coatings. Residual stress in the FGC coating was found to be −15.2 ± 10.6 MPa. The wear resistance of TBCs is studied using a linear reciprocating tribometer, and the results indicate that gadolinium zirconate-based TBCs showed better performance when deposited in bilayer and multilayered functionally graded TBC systems. The wear rate of as-coated FGC coatings was determined to be 2.90 × 10−4 mm3/Nm, which is lower than the conventional YSZ coating. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress in Ceramic Coatings)
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