Abstract: This paper presents a new method to determine the equivalent oxygen diffusivities of particle dispersed composites. This method can be used to design FGM thermal barrier systems with the function of oxygen barrier. A qualitative explanation of the oxidation of nickel with the increment of zirconia contents in the composite samples can be accepted by this method. The values of equivalent oxygen diffusivities obtained with this method are in excellent agreement with those from the EMT method for the composites with ZrO2 particle dispersed phase when the volume fractions of dispersed phase are lower than 25%.

Key words: Equivalent oxygen diffusivity, Particle dispersed composite, FGM