Thermal barrier coating with improved erosion and impact resistance

A gas turbine engine blade having a leading edge surface that is relatively more prone to erosion and impact damage than a second exposed surface of the blade, the blade comprising:

• a superalloy substrate;
• a metallic bond coat on the substrate;
• a first thermal barrier coating on the bond coat at the leading edge surface, the first thermal barrier coating having a noncolumnar and inhomogeneous microstructure comprising irregular and flattened grains, the first thermal barrier coating consisting of yttria-stabilized zirconia and about 5 to about 40 volume percent alumina particles having diameters in a range of about 100 to less than 500 nanometers, at least some of the alumina particles being located within the grains, the first thermal barrier coating being on the leading edge surface and not on the second exposed surface of the airfoil;
• and
• a second thermal barrier coating on the bond coat at the second exposed surface, the second thermal barrier coating being free of alumina particles.