Pistons with thermal barrier coatings

Abstract

A piston for an opposed-piston engine has a thermal barrier coating on at least the piston crown. The piston, at least the piston crown, is made of titanium or a titanium alloy. The thermal barrier coating includes a bonding material and a ceramic material. The bonding material can be present in the thermal barrier coating at an interface of the thermal barrier coating and the bulk of the piston material. The ceramic material can be a high R-Value material. In particular, the piston with a thermal barrier coating can be an exhaust piston for an opposed-piston engine.

1 . An opposed-piston internal combustion engine comprising:
 an intake piston having a piston body comprising a first material;   an exhaust piston disposed in opposition with the intake piston; and   a piston crown on the exhaust piston having an end surface that forms a combustion chamber in cooperation with an end surface of the intake piston, in which the piston crown on the exhaust piston comprises a second material that is different from the first material.