Electrode material for a spark plug

A spark plug for use in an internal combustion engine, the spark plug having a center electrode, a ground electrode, each electrode having a hot end and a cooler end, the cooler end being in thermal communication with the engine, a gap defined between the center and ground electrodes, and a shell, wherein at least one of the ground and center electrode includes an electrode material with:

• a core having a high thermal conductivity for reducing the temperature of the spark plug by conducting heat away from the gap, the core extending continuously from an arcing surface at the hot end of the at least one of the ground and center electrodes to the cooler end of the other one of the ground and center electrodes;
• at least one cladding layer consisting essentially of a metallic material selected from the group consisting of a metal, an alloy, and mixtures thereof, the cladding layer being metallurgically bonded to the core for resisting erosion when exposed to high operating temperatures of the engine and
• a diffusion interlayer between the cladding layer and the core, the diffusion interlayer comprising a metallurgical bond at least adjacent to the gap between the center and ground electrodes for promoting heat transfer and minimizing delamination of the cladding layer from the core.