The thermal diffusivity and conductivity of dense and porous binary composites having an insulating and conducting phase were studied across its entire composition range. Experimental evaluation has been performed with MoSi₂ particles embedded into yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YPSZ) as prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The thermal diffusivity of the composites was measured with Flash Thermography (FT) and Laser Flash Analysis (LFA) techniques. Subsequently, the thermal conductivity was determined with the measured heat capacity and density of the composites. The actual volume fraction of the conducting phase of the composites was determined with image analysis of X-ray maps recorded with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The phases present and their density were determined with X-ray diffractometry (XRD) using Rietveld refinement. The thermal diffusivity increases with increasing volume fraction of MoSi₂. Porosity reduces the thermal diffusivity, but the effect diminishes with high volume fractions MoSi₂. The thermal diffusivity as a function of the MoSi₂ volume fraction of the YPSZ composites is captured by modelling, which includes the porosity effect and the high conductivity paths due to the percolation of the conductive phase.

Yttria – partially stabilised zirconia (YPSZ) MoSi₂ composites have been designed to prolong the lifetime of the matrix by self – healing cracks during thermal cycling. The healing reaction at high temperatures is based on the decomposition of MoSi₂, leading to a volumetrically expanding reaction product, which seals the crack. In this work, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and the fracture toughness of composites containing MoSi₂ particles, produced by spark plasma sintering (SPS) have been compared to conventional YPSZ. The CTE mismatch between YPSZ and MoSi₂ was found to be small, implying that thermally induced mismatch stresses will be small and the composites have a similar CTE to conventional YPSZ. Fracture toughness was found not to be affected by the particles and showed similar values to unreinforced YPSZ. Cracks introduced by indentation have been shown neither to prefer, or avoid, the particles suggesting that such a composite system is capable of autonomously activating the self – healing reaction.

To prolong the lifetime of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) recently a new method of microcrack healing has been developed, which relies on damage initiated thermal decomposition of embedded molybdenum disilicide (MoSi₂) particles within the TBC matrix. While these MoSi₂ particles have a beneficial effect on the structural stability of the TBC, the high thermal conductivity of MoSi₂ may have an unfavourable but as yet unquantified impact on the thermal conductivity of the TBCs. In this work the thermal conductivity of spark plasma sintering (SPS) produced yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) model thermal barrier coatings containing 10 or 20 vol.% of MoSi₂ healing particles was investigated using the laser flash method. Measurements were performed on free-standing composite material over a temperature range from room temperature up to 1000 °C. Microstructural analysis was carried out by SEM combined with image analysis to determine the size, distribution and area fraction of healing particles. The measurements were compared with the results from microstructure-based multi-physics finite element (FE) models and analytical models (the asymmetric Bruggeman model and the Nielsen model) in order to study the effects of the addition of MoSi₂ particles as well as the presence of micro-pores on the apparent thermal conductivity. The results show a strongly non-linear increase in the thermal conductivity of the composite material with the MoSi₂ volume fraction and a dependence on the aspect ratio of MoSi₂ particles. Interparticle connectivity is shown to play a big role too.