US Patent 7780832 Methods for applying mitigation coatings, and related articles

A method for protecting a thermal barrier coating (TBC) which comprises voids is described. The method involves the step of electrophoretically depositing a mitigation coating material such as alumina to fill at least a portion of the voids. The TBC is often applied over a metal substrate, such as a turbine engine component. The voids can be in the form of vertical cracks within the TBC. A thermal barrier coating is also described, containing voids which extend into the coating from a top surface, wherein at least a portion of the voids is filled with a mitigation coating material.