In view of the urgent need of the new generation of aero-engine and heavy duty gas turbine for long life and high toughness thermal barrier coatings, a ZrO2 whisker composite YSZ spray powder with a aspect ratio of 10 has been prepared by spray granulation. The YSZ/ZrO2 whisker toughened ceramic composite coating has been prepared by SAPS technology, and the process parameters of the composite coating have been optimized. The effect of melt index on the microstructure of ceramic composite coating was studied; The formation mechanism of YSZ ceramic coating toughened by ZrO2 whisker was elucidated through the experiment of collecting single slice by slit method. The internal relationship between microstructure and thermodynamic properties of YSZ ceramic coating toughened by ZrO2 whisker was established. Based on the characteristics of whiskers dispersed in the unmelted particle area of the composite coating, the fracture toughness and thermal cycle life of YSZ / ZrO2 whisker toughened ceramic composite coating are doubled compared with nanostructured YSZ coating.