Application of Ceramics in the Automotive Industry - Term Paper Example

Task Application of Ceramics in the Automotive Industry In the recent past the use of ceramic in automotive design and production has become more and more common. Its strong physical, thermal and electrical characteristics make it a reliable, durable and cheap alternative to metal. As the automotive industry faces sustained pressure to deliver innovative design, advanced safety features and environmental-friendly automotives while minimizing the cost of production, use of ceramics looks set to grow. At the moment, ceramic is used in nearly fifty different automotive uses and the list continues to soar (Holland and Beall 53). The input of ceramic materials to automobile technologies ranges over driving performance, fuel efficiency and exhaust gas purification. A number of ceramic parts, such as knock sensors, oxygen sensors, exhaust gas catalysts, and silicon nitride components for automotive engines, have been well utilized to automobiles. Ceramics revolution is not just confined to the automotive industry- producers in aerospace, defense, medical and telecommunication firms are also progressively utilizing ceramic alternatives. The material is fast becoming to be much known for its application in earthenware and pottery and more for the opportunities it creates in the production of goods necessary in our daily lives. This paper will examine the contribution of the ceramics to advances in automotive technologies. It will also try to explore the possible contributions of ceramics in the future such as ceramic gas turbines, adiabatic turbo-compound diesels, electric vehicles and fuel cells due to advances in ceramic technologies. Introduction Ceramics is an inert composite containing a metal and a non metal or several non metals. These materials have several properties that identify them. For instance, they are delicate thus easily broken, elastic, quite hard, and need high melting temperatures. They are also electrical, act as thermal insulators and have a high chemical stability. Examples of ceramics include silica (an ingredient used in glass products and contains silicon dioxide), alumina (used in abrasives and contains aluminum oxide) and complex compounds that contain hydrous aluminum silicate used mostly in clay products. Ceramic products are clay in form of bricks, cement used for construction, intractable ceramics that can withstand high temperatures like furnaces used in factories, glass and glass fibers, abrasives, and white ware products. Ceramics are divided in three categories: Traditional ceramics, new ceramics and glass. Ceramics are stronger than metals thus are rigid and do not break when strained. However, they have a frail fracture unlike metals which makes their performance unpredictable thus prone to bending when under stress. Nevertheless, these flaws can be improved to enhance the performance of ceramics by heating, unifying starting materials, minimizing absorbent levels or by strengthening the material with fiber. Traditional ceramics are found in nature and mainly consist of silica, mineral silicates and oxides. Their products include fired clay which makes pots, bricks, different type of tiles and tableware; abrasives; cement and alumina. These products are ancient and have been in use since ancient times. Although glass has evolved and improved over time, it is partly considered a traditional ceramic. Some of these ancient ceramics are found on the crust of the earth’s surface and have undergone many geological processes over time. Clay, which has been quite useful over the times even in current times, when mixed with water forms a solid substance that is moldable and can be shaped. So as to harden and finish the final product, clay is fired for durability and to make the product firm. This is done by exposing it to very high temperatures. Quartz is found naturally and mainly consists of sandstones. It is inexpensive and chemically stable. Glass is quartz’s key product. Some abrasives and refractories are also made from quartz. Alumina is processed from bauxite which is impure. Corundum also consists of aluminum in a more pure form. Alumina is used as an abrasive in grinding wheels and as a brick in furnaces. Ancient ceramic products include pots, cutlery, abrasives, refractories, bricks and tiles. Some ceramics are synthetic and have been modified over the years. Due to technology and other factors, ceramics have improved in its manufacturing processes that have stabilized its structure and properties. New ceramics are based on different components other than aluminum silicate as is the case in the traditional ceramics. The chemical compositions of new ceramics are simpler than the traditional ones. Alumina is the new ceramic oxide which is synthetically made from bauxite and used in electrical furnaces. This new alumina is processed and blended to improve its strength and toughness in comparison to its natural counterpart. It has low geothermal conductivity and resists corrosion quite well. Products of oxide ceramics include abrasives, bioceramics, electrical insulators and components, plugs, engineering components. Application of a Ceramic Coating A component’s surface before it is coated has to be smoothed by either using sandblast or a smoothing agent. This ensures the surface is even and gets rid of any contaminants. The part is then heated in an oven and its molecular porosity is reduced. Ceramic coatings like titanium and tungsten are applied using a gravity-sprayed gun. The thin nozzle of the gun ensures a precise coating is applied. As for solvent coatings, they are sprayed at high pressure in a spraying booth. This exercise has to be controlled and done very carefully as the coating has to be evenly distributed and quite thin for efficiency. Accuracy ensures the coating does not run off the component. After the coating, the element is inspected to ensure uniformity of the distribution of the layer. It is then exposed in open air to allow evaporation to occur. Curing is a process that is performed at high temperatures to regulate fluctuating heat phases. The element is then polished to give a fine finish and an even, thick layer. Depending on the type of element being coated, an additional shine can be applied either mechanically or physically. Ceramic Components for Automobile Engines Due to rising demand of improved performance of automobiles, their conduct and efficiency, producers are trying to find different products and materials to enhance automobiles. Researchers have thought of coming up with a way of reducing the weight of the parts in action, especially those that reciprocate. This is a measure to enhance efficiency. The reduction of weight of moving parts in a vehicle has more advantage than reduction in the body of the vehicle. Reduction in moving inactivity will enhance performance more effectively. Ceramic such as oxides and nitrides are recommended to curb refraction and corrosion. However, for purposes of reducing thermal conductivity and superior machines, metals are more efficient. Due to these limitations, it becomes important to combine these materials to act as strengths where one is lacking and altogether improve performance. Ceramic-metal combination can be useful in an extreme environment, for example high temperature engine, ocean developments, high reflectivity in space technology, protection of high speed missile and also heating electronics during welding. Applications in Automotives Ceramic coatings are mostly found in exhaust manifolds and headers. This coating enhances high resistance to corrosion such as rust and lowers the rate at which heat is lost thus increasing power output in the exhaust manifolds. Headers when coated with ceramics will increase the speed of exhaust gas and reduce overall commotion by giving a smoother surface. Coating a combustion chamber’s cylinder head and the exhaust ports with ceramics enables the circulation of exhaust at a more rapid rate and enhances combustion in the chamber. There is then improved thermal transfer between the gas and the cylinder head which can be cooled by coating to enhance heat dispersal. A piston is also coated with ceramics to improve its performance. The coating also improves heat reflection and transmits part of the energy into the fuel burning compartment and therefore greatly reducing carbon emissions (Groover et al). Piston skirts give a dry sliding surface when coated with ceramics for engine startup and a better resistance to abrasions and grazing when there is movement in the engine block. A ceramic coating on the piston ring reduces friction and improves wear resistance between the ring and inners surface of the cylinder. Ceramic coatings are found in definite formulations designed to focus on heat resistance, oil flaking, reduction of friction and corrosion resistance. These coatings enhance a particular material’s effectiveness without risking the other components properties. Monolithic and fiber-reinforced ceramics have been suggested for automobile engine application for more than a decade due to their advanced properties. However, the only significant application of ceramics in engines has been in turbocharger rotors which replaced nickel-based alloys which were fairly expensive and had a high density. Ceramics and Carbon Emissions Every year, automobiles emit more than 350 million tons of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (Groover et al). To eradicate these emissions, scientists and engineers have come up with a hybrid vehicle which is believed to protect the environment in many efficient ways. Energy for the hybrid car is stored in advanced batteries, flywheels, or ultra capacitors. Power is provided by small diesel engines and fuel cells similar to those used in power spacecrafts and gas turbines. This industry of automotive production is largely reliable to science and technology developing new products, especially ceramic materials, so that the hybrid can run efficiently. A hybrid electric vehicle with materials coated in ceramics and a gas turbine engine would weigh less, be more durable and fuel-efficient and burn more fuels thus enhancing lower carbon and nitrogen oxides emissions. Gas turbines need high temperatures to operate efficiently and thus the need to develop reliable, inexpensive ceramic or strong fiber composite materials. Since 1983, the department of Energy has seen the gradual growth of ceramics and automobile industries that has led to improved automobiles. In 1985, Nissan pioneered silicon nitride ceramic turbochargers. Increased reliability of ceramic materials has led to the manufacture of enhanced materials that can minimize the flaws that limit effective use of ceramics. Researchers have also developed ways of testing the physical and mechanical strength of ceramics and precisely calculate the life span of ceramic components when exposed to a certain environment or conditions. Just recently, it was observed and reported that though ceramics can run in automotive engines reliably, its manufacture cost was too high. It was then evident that metals and ceramics were competing inn price. The manufacturers then had to focus on mass production of reliable ceramic parts for the automobile industry without thinking much about the price. Later on, they discovered that using computers to come up with models of ceramics that are inexpensive. Ceramic machining could contribute more than half of the total cost of a ceramic component. They therefore found economic ways to make silicon nitride powders and solidifying and structuring ceramics. Gel casting is a method used to form advanced ceramics. It was invented in 1987 by a man called Mark A. Janney and Ogbemi O. Omatete. This process has the ceramic part machined before it is heated and not after. This improves the accuracy of shapes and reduces the need for finish machining. Several companies have shown their interest in using this advanced process to make airplane and automobile engine parts that are light and do not corrode when exposed to high temperatures. Gel casting has been licensed and approved by two companies. Other technologies developed include self-aligning grips for testing ceramics. This was invented by Kenneth C. Liu and licensed to Instron Corporation. Terry N. Tiegs developed a way of producing inexpensive silicon nitride ceramics by processing it in a microwave (Groover et al). Automotive industry is the leading consumer worldwide due to the high demand of automobiles from both growing and established economies. Major producers of ceramic and metal injections include AB components, Abbot Furnace Company, G-Mag International, Britt Manufacturing Co. and Cypress Industries. Recently, Protean Electric, a leading technology company that makes and builds up an advanced in-wheel electric drive system, encountered a problem. Their wheel drives which were coated with aluminum would corrode every so often. They developed a composite called Apticote 350 which could anodize the drives thus curbing corrosion. Conclusion Conclusively, ceramic coatings improve the performance of automobiles significantly where metal coatings corrode or end up faulty. Researchers have established computer-controlled processes that use robotics to control elements and sensors to establish the quality of the final product. Increased reliability of structural ceramics has been registered and low-cost manufacturing materials ensure the ceramic auto parts are inexpensive. Future vehicles made of these advanced materials will curb gas emissions which pollute the environment and expose all living organisms to extreme conditions and health hazards (Michael 24). Oil prices will also greatly reduce making automobiles convenient and affordable. Works Cited Groover, M. P. Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2002. Print. Holland, W. and Beall, G. Glass- Ceramic Technology. New York: Wiley. 2006. Print Michael J. Hoffmann. Ceramic Applications in the Automotive Industry. 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