METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SPARK PLUG ELECTRODE MATERIAL

摘要

A method of manufacturing an electrode material for use in spark plugs and other ignition devices. The electrode material may be manufactured into a desirable form by hot-forming a layered structure that includes a ruthenium-based material core, an iridium-based interlayer disposed over an exterior surface of the ruthenium-based material core, and a nickel-based cladding disposed over an exterior surface of the iridium-based material interlayer. The elongated layered wire produced by the hot-forming then has its nickel-based cladding removed to derive an elongated electrode material wire that includes the ruthenium-based material core encased in the iridium-based material. The elongated electrode material wire can be used to make many different spark plug/ignition device components.

主权项

1. A method of manufacturing a spark plug electrode material, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a core of a ruthenium-based material that has a length dimension and a cross-sectional area oriented perpendicular to the length dimension, the ruthenium-based material having ruthenium (Ru) as the single largest constituent on a weight percentage (wt %) basis; disposing an interlayer of an iridium-based material over an exterior surface of the ruthenium-based material core, the iridium-based material having iridium (Ir) as the single largest constituent on a weight percentage (wt %) basis; disposing a nickel-based cladding over an exterior surface of the iridium-based interlayer to form a layered structure, the nickel-based cladding having nickel (Ni) as the single largest constituent on a weight percentage (wt %) basis; hot-forming the layered structure to reduce the cross-sectional area of the ruthenium-based material core to form an elongated layered wire; and removing the nickel-based cladding from the elongated layered wire to derive an elongated electrode material wire that includes the ruthenium-based material core encased in the iridium-based material.