Spark plug electrode having ruthenium-based material

Abstract

A spark plug electrode made from a ruthenium-based material that includes one or more of the following characteristics: an equiaxed grain structure, a grain structure with an average grain size that is less than or equal to 50 μm, a grain structure with an average porosity that is less than or equal to 2%, and/or a grain structure with an average non-homogeneity ratio that is less than or equal to 6%. In one example, the ruthenium-based material is a binary alloy that includes rhodium from 1 wt % to 15 wt %, inclusive, and the balance ruthenium. In a different example, the ruthenium-based material is a ternary alloy that includes rhodium from 1 wt % to 15 wt %, inclusive, rhenium from 0.5 wt % to 5 wt %, inclusive, and the balance ruthenium. A powder metallurgy method is also provided for manufacturing the spark plug electrode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.