Influence of copper anodization on structural and heat transfer characteristic of aluminum piston

The piston transmits force from the combustion gas expansion to the crankshaft through the connecting rod in an engine. The piston head is exposed to tremendous pressure by expanding combustion gases at a greater magnitude and at a high temperature. The piston should withstand these thermal shocks. Today, there are many different technical and industrial techniques available to alter the characteristics of a material to meet the needs of a certain application. Anodization is a surface treatment process that is used exclusively for aluminum and its alloys to increase durability and corrosion resistance. With the capacity to control the factors involved in the anodizing process, it is possible to change some of the characteristics of the finished anodized goods. This article examines the anodizing of aluminum pistons with and without a copper coating. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if the piston is capable of withstanding high equivalent stress and low heat flux. Static structural analysis and steady state thermal analysis are performed using ANSYS software. The results of this research show that aluminum anodized with copper improves the structural integrity of the aluminum piston while also enhancing its structural and heat transfer properties.