Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) is a key technology of high temperature protection of turbine blade

which has typical layered structure characteristics. Thermally grown oxide (TGO) is produced by high temperature oxidation during the service of the thermal barrier coatings

and there is an urgent need for three-dimensional imaging method which will detect the internal structure of thermal barrier coatings nondestructively. Because three-dimensional images can be obtained by computed tomography (CT)

and the three-dimensional structure of the object can be reproduced accurately

it is one of the best analysis methods for the layered structure of thermal barrier coatings

and has a good performance in thermal barrier coatings spraying quality evaluation and high temperature oxidation monitoring. In this paper

the development of micro-CT imaging

synchrotron radiation CT imaging

3D imaging of focused ion beam–scanning electron microscope (FIB–SEM) and thermal stress finite element simulation of thermal barrier coatings in domestic and abroad are mainly introduced. Finally

the possible development direction is pointed out.