Techniques for infiltrating a CMC substrate may include infiltrating the CMC substrate with a first slurry to at least partially fill at least some inner spaces of the CMC substrate, where the first slurry includes first solid particles, drying the first slurry to form an infiltrated CMC including the first solid particles, depositing a second slurry including a carrier material and second solid particles on a surface of the infiltrated CMC, where the second solid particles include a plurality of fine ceramic particles, a plurality of coarse ceramic particles, and a plurality of diamond particles, drying the second slurry to form an article having an outer surface layer including the second solid particles on the infiltrated CMC, and infiltrating the article with a molten infiltrant to form a composite article.

Techniques for infiltrating a CMC substrate may include infiltrating the CMC substrate with a first slurry to at least partially fill at least some inner spaces of the CMC substrate, where the first slurry includes first solid particles, drying the first slurry to form an infiltrated CMC including the first solid particles, depositing a second slurry including a carrier material and second solid particles on a surface of the infiltrated CMC, where the second solid particles include a plurality of fine ceramic particles, a plurality of coarse ceramic particles, and a plurality of diamond particles, drying the second slurry to form an article having an outer surface layer including the second solid particles on the infiltrated CMC, and infiltrating the article with a molten infiltrant to form a composite article.

A coating method includes depositing a slurry including a coarsely particulate ceramic and a finely particulate ceramic on a base material configured with an oxide-based ceramics matrix composite such that a proportion of coarse particles decreases towards a surface of the base material; forming a bond coating by performing a heat treatment on the base material on which the slurry has been deposited; and forming a top coating by thermally spraying a ceramic onto the bond coating. The oxide-based ceramics matrix composite is an alumina silica type oxide-based ceramics matrix composite. The coarsely particulate ceramic and the finely particulate ceramic are alumina-based powder.

A coating method includes depositing a slurry including a coarsely particulate ceramic and a finely particulate ceramic on a base material configured with an oxide-based ceramics matrix composite such that a proportion of coarse particles decreases towards a surface of the base material; forming a bond coating by performing a heat treatment on the base material on which the slurry has been deposited; and forming a top coating by thermally spraying a ceramic onto the bond coating. The oxide-based ceramics matrix composite is an alumina silica type oxide-based ceramics matrix composite. The coarsely particulate ceramic and the finely particulate ceramic are alumina-based powder.

The disclosure describes a method for forming a surface layer of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article. The technique includes depositing a slurry on a surface of an infiltrated CMC. The slurry includes a carrier material, a binder, a plasticizer, and solid particles. The solid particles include a plurality of fine ceramic particles defining a fine particle average size less than about 5 micrometers. The method further includes drying the slurry to form an article having an outer surface layer that includes the solid particles on the infiltrated CMC. The method further includes machining at least a portion of the outer surface layer of the article. The method further includes infiltrating the article with a molten infiltrant to form a composite article.

The disclosure describes a method for forming a surface layer of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article. The technique includes depositing a slurry on a surface of an infiltrated CMC. The slurry includes a carrier material, a binder, a plasticizer, and solid particles. The solid particles include a plurality of fine ceramic particles defining a fine particle average size less than about 5 micrometers. The method further includes drying the slurry to form an article having an outer surface layer that includes the solid particles on the infiltrated CMC. The method further includes machining at least a portion of the outer surface layer of the article. The method further includes infiltrating the article with a molten infiltrant to form a composite article.

The invention provides dispersed inorganic mixed metal oxide pigment compositions in a non-aqueous media utilizing a dispersant having polyisobutylene succinic anhydride structure to disperse a mixed metal oxide pigment in the media. The metal oxide pigment is of the type used to colour ceramic or glass articles. A milling process using beads is also described to reduce the mixed metal oxide particle size to the desired range. A method of using the mixed metal oxide dispersion to digitally print an image on a ceramic or glass article using the dispersion jetted through a nozzle and subsequently firing the coloured article is also described.

The invention provides dispersed inorganic mixed metal oxide pigment compositions in a non-aqueous media utilizing a dispersant having polyisobutylene succinic anhydride structure to disperse a mixed metal oxide pigment in the media. The metal oxide pigment is of the type used to colour ceramic or glass articles. A milling process using beads is also described to reduce the mixed metal oxide particle size to the desired range. A method of using the mixed metal oxide dispersion to digitally print an image on a ceramic or glass article using the dispersion jetted through a nozzle and subsequently firing the coloured article is also described.

The present inventive subject matter is directed to repair compositions for thermal barrier coatings and methods of use thereof. The repair compositions include a ceramic composition, a colloidal solution, an aqueous binder, an aqueous dispersant, and an aqueous ammonia solution. The ceramic composition includes a first population of yttria-stabilized zirconia particles having a mean diameter from about 250 nm to about 1000 nm, a second population of yttria-stabilized zirconia particles having a mean diameter from about 2 m to about 10 m, and a third population of yttria-stabilized zirconia particles having a mean diameter from about 20 m to about 250 m. One method includes depositing the repair layer onto the damaged region, the repair layer including the repair composition, and heat treating the repair layer.

The present inventive subject matter is directed to repair compositions for thermal barrier coatings and methods of use thereof. The repair compositions include a ceramic composition, a colloidal solution, an aqueous binder, an aqueous dispersant, and an aqueous ammonia solution. The ceramic composition includes a first population of yttria-stabilized zirconia particles having a mean diameter from about 250 nm to about 1000 nm, a second population of yttria-stabilized zirconia particles having a mean diameter from about 2 m to about 10 m, and a third population of yttria-stabilized zirconia particles having a mean diameter from about 20 m to about 250 m. One method includes depositing the repair layer onto the damaged region, the repair layer including the repair composition, and heat treating the repair layer.