High temperature materials for heavy duty diesel engines: Historical and future trends

We report that heavy duty (HD) vehicles are projected to be the largest fuel-use subsector in transportation, with current demand for diesel fuel projected to grow 30% by 2040. Historically, a primary strategy for increasing diesel engine efficiency has been to increase peak cylinder pressure (PCP). However, increasing PCP imparts greater mechanical and thermal loads on engine components and materials. In recent years, the material property limits for many components have been reached and further increases in PCP above ~20 MPa have been difficult, while still maintaining the necessary affordability and longevity of on-road HD diesel engines. This paper reviews the historical evolution and major metallurgical advancements of high temperature materials in HD on road diesel engines (10–15 L displacement) up to the current state of the art, focusing on materials in the engine block, cylinder heads, pistons, valves, and exhaust components. These components cover a wide range of material classes, including cast iron, ferritic steel, austenitic steel, titanium alloys, nickel based super-alloys, and high temperature coatings. Finally, the microstructural degradation and failure mechanisms of the materials associated with the complex mechanical and thermal loading during service are discussed and key areas for future materials research are suggested that overcome technical barriers.