Elastic modulus evolution and behaviour of Si/Mullite/BSAS-based environmental barrier coatings exposed to high temperature in water vapour environment Cojocaru, C. V.; Kruger, S. E.; Moreau, C.; Lima, R. S. Submitted May 14, 2010; in revised form October 22, 2010) Si-based ceramics (e.g., SiC and Si 3 N 4 ) are known as promising high-temperature structural materials in various components where metals/alloys reached their ultimate performances (e.g., advanced gas turbine engines and structural components of future hypersonic vehicles). To alleviate the surface recession that Si-based ceramics undergo in a high-temperature environmental attack (e.g., H 2 O vapor), appropriate refractory oxides are engineered to serve as environmental barrier coatings (EBCs). The current stateof-the-art EBCs multilayer system comprises a silicon (Si) bond coat, mullite (3Al 2 O 3 AE2SiO 2 ) interlayer and (1 2 x)BaOAExSrOAEAl 2 O 3 AE2SiO 2 ,0 £ x £ 1 (BSAS) top coat. In this article, the role of hightemperature exposure (1300°C) performed in H 2 O vapor environment (for time intervals up to 500 h) on the elastic moduli of air plasma sprayed Si/mullite/BSAS layers deposited on SiC substrates was investigated via depth-sensing indentation. Laser-ultrasonics was employed to evaluate the E values of as-sprayed BSAS coatings as an attempt to validate the indentation results. Fully crystalline, crack-free, and near-crack-free as-sprayed EBCs were engineered under controlled deposition conditions. The absence of phase transformation and stability of the low elastic modulus values (e.g.,~60-70 GPa) retained by the BSAS top layers after harsh environmental exposure provides a plausible explanation for the almost crack-free coatings observed. The relationships between the measured elastic moduli of the EBCs and their microstructural behavior during the high-temperature exposure are discussed.