Automotive Ceramics

Spark Plug

Spark Plug

Spark plugs were first used in 1860 in the first gasoline internal combustion engine and continue to be the source of combustion in gasoline, hydrogen, methane, and alcohol fueled cars. Porcelain has long been the insulating material used on spark plugs, and so ceramic materials have been used in cars for the last one hundred years. But the use of ceramics in modern cars has extended beyond just insulating spark plugs.

Pressure Sensor

Emissions Sensor

Vehicle builders have increasingly turned to ceramics to replace metals because of their strength and thermal and electrical properties. Ceramic sensors work better than metal sensors in harsh environments because they are chemically, thermally, and structurally more stable. The use of ceramics in sensors and spark plugs has been standard practice among auto manufacturers for many years. In today's car, ceramics are being used in other systems as well.

Ceramic Ball Bearing  

Cutout Showing Ceramic Ball Bearings 

Ceramic ball bearings have many of the same advantages over metal bearings as sensors. Those advantages are smoother surfaces, lower thermal expansion, and much lighter weight. Other engine parts are being made of ceramics or are being coated with layers of ceramic material. Pistons are now being coated with ceramics to reduce friction and prolong engine life. The reduction in friction also means an increase in efficiency because less energy is lost to heat.

Ceramic-coated Pistons

                                        

Ceramic Rings and Ceramic-coated Piston

Ceramics are now used in more applications than dinnerware and bathroom fixtures. The wide range of properties that ceramic materials offer increases the possible applications in many areas of modern technology.

Questions to Research 

• Can ceramics replace metals in cutting tools like knives and scissors?
• What disadvantages do ceramic ball bearings and pistons have compared to metal.
• Are there environmental concerns in the production of ceramic materials?