The Effect of Water Absorption in Ceramic Coatings on High Frequency ac Resistance

Abstract

Thermally sprayed ceramic coatings can be used for wear protection as well as thermal and electrical insulation. When exposed to environments with high humidity, the water absorption of the ceramic coating has a tremendous impact on the electrical insulation. In thermally sprayed ceramic coatings, water can easily be absorbed by the porous microstructure of the coating. A general result of the water absorption is the reduction of the dc resistivity. However, in the high frequency regime of ac loads, contrary results were observed for sealed Al2O3 coatings on steel substrates. Specimens exposed to high air humidity have shown an increased ac resistance compared to dry specimens if frequencies above 1 MHz are considered. To analyse this phenomenon, a novel measurement technique was developed to investigate the influence of the water absorption of detached ceramic coatings on the ac resistivity at high frequencies. Moreover, the water absorption of the ceramic is measured gravimetrically. To ensure the results are also applicable to ceramic coatings on substrates, the morphology of the coating was analysed using electron microscopy and compared to reference specimens deposited on steel substrates from [1].