Emerging Applications
Diesel Particulate Filtration
The images below compare diesel particulate filters (DPF) that were treated with C³’s MIST with a standard untreated filter substrate. The photos show that the C³ MIST treated substrates were able to burn off the contaminants at a much lower temperature than the untreated substrate. It has been proven that certain MIST formulations act as oxygen donor material that ensures efficient combustion of carbon during ignition in both cold and normal conditions.
Figure 1a: |
Figure 1b: Figure 1: Pictures showing standard (untreated/uncoated) and MIST-treated diesel particulate filters (DPF) baked at lower temperatures (1a) and higher temperatures (1b). MIST treated DPF burns off contaminates at lower temperatures. |
Automotive Technology: Spark Plugs
Typical sparkplugs for automobiles, trucks, and small engines have a ceramic insulator at their tip which surrounds a central electrode. The end portion of the sparkplug, including the end of the ceramic insulator, is exposed to the interior of the combustion chamber of the engine. During normal operation of the engine, there are times when operating conditions contaminate the ceramic insulator of the sparkplug, and this causes the plug to "foul out". The contamination on the insulator is made from combustion byproducts which mostly contain carbon. Since carbon is a good electrical conductor, these deposits "short out" the plug by giving the spark an easier path to follow than it might find across the spark plug's gap. Carbon deposits on the insulator of a spark plug can occur, for example, during engine idle when the engine has just been started and the fuel mixture is enriched, when the weather is cold, and when the engine is not properly tuned. Even when an engine is properly tuned, carbon deposits on the insulator and electrodes of a sparkplug can still take place, for example, when driving on a cold engine or using an enriched fuel mixture.
Using the C³ MIST technology, the insulator of a spark plug can be made to resist carbon fouling to a remarkable degree. In tests performed at the renowned SouthWest Research Institute, two identical Ford Taurus sedans were placed in a cold box at 0°F for twenty-four hours, then started. After each successful start, the engines were allowed to cool back down to zero degrees, then the engine was restarted. Standard spark plugs begin fouling after only four cold starts in such conditions. However, spark plugs treated with infused nano-flims of cerium oxide using the C³ MIST process lasted over 20 starts.
In additional testing performed by a major spark plug manufacturer, spark plugs treated with the C³ MIST technology showed the ability to nearly match a platinum spark plug's life of 100,000 miles but without the use of expensive platinum. The cerium oxide nano-film infused into the spark plug electrode's surface gave very strong protection against electrode wear at a much lower cost than typical platinum electrode construction.
A combination of the C³ MIST technology applied to a standard spark plug resulted in a better peforming product that had five times the fouling resistance and matched the longevity of platinum spark plugs - at a much lower cost.
Metal Stamping
When metal sheets are formed using tool steel dies, high temperatures and localized pressures can cause rapid deterioration of some portions of a tool's surface. The sheet metal's deformation, stretch, and distortion as it is "pulled" and "pressed" into the desired shape places extreme stresses in the dies. Rapid cycle times allow little time for the die to cool, in some applications, and surface degradation is rapid. When die lubricants are used, their coverage can be spotty, giving less than optimal results.
The C³ MIST process lays down a protective layer of ultra-hard Zirconium Oxide - second only to diamonds in hardness - which protects the die's outer surface. Unlike traditional coatings (such as Nitriding, Titanium-Nitriding, etc.), the C³ infused nano-film will not peel or flake. This is due to how the MIST process infuses the oxide down into the tool's surface. Not only is the nano-film (typically 0.080 microns) firmly "rooted" to the substrate, its thinness keeps it "flexible" as localized temperatures spike, keeping it from cracking from thermal expansion issues.
From a practical standpoint, the nano-film created by the C³ MIST process is so thin, it is dimensionally invisible, requiring no undersizing of dies and pins. Existing molds can be treated without any "sinking" or re-machining. The C³ MIST process cures out at temperatures that are well below the annealing temperature of most tool steels, so no re-heat treatment is necessary.
The C³ MIST process has resulted in greatly extended stamping die life in real-world test with our industry partners. Additionally, trimmers, punches, extrusion dies, and shears have all benefitted from the use of C³'s infused surface treatment. Infusing C³'s MIST engineered Zirconium Oxide nano-film on a tool's surface has been proven to be the best way to extend tool life, shorten process time, and reduce downtime - head and shoulders above all other technologies.
Metal Forging
The high temperature and pressures present in metal forging operations put great stresses on the forging dies. Localized temperature spikes reach critical levels as metal is pressed and formed with the strike of the die, and can exceed the critical limits with multiple blows. The mechanical shear stresses imparted to the die surfaces regularly create fatigue points and failures in forging dies. The C³ MIST process provides a super-hard Zirconium Oxide nano-film to protect a forging die's surface from attack, greatly improving die life.
The C³ MIST process infuses a protective layer of ultra-hard Zirconium Oxide - second only to diamonds in hardness - which protects the forging die's outer surface. Unlike traditional coatings (such as Nitriding, Titanium-Nitriding, etc.), the C³ infused nano-film will not peel or flake. Not only is the nano-film (typically 0.080 microns) firmly "rooted" to the substrate, its thinness keeps it "flexible" as localized temperatures spike, keeping it from cracking from thermal expansion issues always present in forging operations.
The nano-film created by the C³ MIST process is less than one micron thick, making it dimensionally invisible, requiring no undresizing of dies. Existing dies can be treated without any "sinking" or re-machining. The C³ MIST process cures out at 420?C (788?F), well below the annealing temperature of most tool steels, so no re-heat treatment is necessary. Although the C³ MIST process delivers up to 10 times the performance of other coatings (i.e. TiN), its pricing is very competitive with current coatings used in the industry.
The C³ MIST process can provide significantly improved forging die life in real-world applications. An additional benefit is the improved surface finish in the final part forged using C³ MIST treated dies. Due to the reduces stresses between the surface and the part, the as-forged surface finish of the final component is visibly improved, reducing or eliminating many post-production surface operations for some customers. Infusing C³'s MIST engineered Zirconium Oxide nano-film on a forging die's surface is the best way to extend tool life, shorten process time, and reduce downtime - head and shoulders above all other technologies.
Hydrogen Transport Pipeline
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have proposed that C³'s MIST technology be laid down on the inside of existing natural gas pipelines, and that doing so would make them usable for hydrogen transport in the future. Preliminary experiments to study this crucial aspect of the anticipated hydrogen fuel cell economy show that the existing infrastructure needs to be either replaced or substantially improved to carry the new fuel. By all indicators, replacing the infrastructure will be extremely cost-prohibitive, but ORNL alpha tests indicate that C³'s MIST technology may make using the existing pipelines viable.
