CMAS-resistant thermal barrier coating and method of making a coating thereof

A method of forming a calcium-magnesium alumino-silicate (CMAS)-resistant coating comprising:

• providing a suspension feedstock comprising ceramic particles suspended in a liquid medium, wherein the ceramic particles comprises a CMAS-reactive material;
• depositing the ceramic particles on the substrate to form an outer coating comprising a plurality of columnar structures having a total porosity of less than five percent, wherein the columnar structures are formed during material deposition and are denoted by a cauliflower-type surface topography and, wherein the columnar structures comprise:
• a plurality of randomly-oriented particle splats;
• and
• a CMAS-reactive material;
• forming a plurality of generally connected porosity bands forming vertically-oriented gaps extending from an outermost surface of the outer coating to a first depth of the outer coating equal to or less than a total thickness of the outer coating, wherein the connected porosity bands are formed during material deposition and separate adjacent columnar structures by a median gap width of less than five micrometers and wherein the connected porosity bands have a porosity less than 100 percent.