HI-POTENTIAL - HIgh PerfOrmance ThErmal coatiNgs for automoTive ALumium pistons.

The annual market for automotive pistons for diesel cars is ~32.8m units, worth ~€164(£125)m, mainly based on eutectic Al-Si. Recent advances globally have led to coated piston crowns with very low thermal conductivity and heat capacity that significantly reduce heat loss, leading to increased engine efficiencies of the order 44%. However, eutectic aluminium is problematic to anodise leading to silicon inclusions and high surface roughness - limiting the anodising area to the piston crown except the cavity. HI-POTENTIAL will develop a high value manufacturing approach with improved capabilities for Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation to create aluminium piston crowns with ultra-low thermal conductivity and heat capacity for coating the entire piston crown including the cavity. By achieving this, we will be able to increase maximum thermal efficiency comparable to or better than existing anodised solutions and increasing fuel efficiency / reducing CO2 emissions by >1.8%. This is beyond anything achieved previously for aluminium and comparable to steel pistons. By achieving this we will create global USPs for PEO coated aluminium pistons.