Layered thermal barrier coating with blended transition and method of application

A multilayer coating comprising:

• a bond coat layer;
• a first barrier layer applied on the bond coat layer, wherein the first barrier layer has a compositional gradient comprising (a) a majority of a first rare earth stabilized zirconia material proximate the bond coat layer to (b) a majority of a second rare earth stabilized zirconia material away from the bond coat layer, wherein the first and second rare earth stabilized zirconia materials are different;
• a second barrier layer applied on the first barrier layer, wherein the second barrier layer has a compositional gradient comprising (a) a majority of the second rare earth stabilized zirconia material and 0 wt % of a third rare earth stabilized zirconia material proximate the first barrier layer to (b) 0 wt % of the second rare earth stabilized zirconia material and 100 wt % of the third rare earth stabilized zirconia material away from the first barrier layer.