Abstract: A method of making carbon-carbon pistons and a limited variety of other products also requiring light weight, high strength and high thermal conductivity, and the resulting piston, including the steps of feeding impregnated fibers from spools into a layered bundle of fibers, coating the fibers with a carbonaceous material to form a preform, sleeving the preform with a thermoplastic sleeve, extruding the coated preform, passing the preform through an oven while compacting the preform further, and cutting the preform into standard lengths as the preform exits the furnace and achieves a degree of cool down. The pistons are machined from the cut preforms with the piston axis parallel to the fibers and layers. The pistons include crown, skirt, and wrist pin bosses and the axis of the wrist pin bosses is perpendicular to the fibers and layers.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine component assembly including piston, wrist pin, and cylinder sleeve, all constructed of a matching carbon-carbon composite is disclosed. The piston is a two-piece assembly divided in crown and skirt, each fabricated individually to optimize the most desirable properties in the respective cylinder areas in which they operate. The crown is fabricated by placing the fiber and binder into a compression mold and pyrolizing(heating) the resulting preform at a high temperature in the range of 1500 to 2000 degrees C. to achieve high temperature strength, and high thermal conductivity that continue after machining to the finished crown part. The skirt, a separate piece, on the other hand is fabricated differently to seek higher lubricity and better wear resistance along the cylinder wall with lower thermal conductivity to minimize heat loss.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine component assembly including piston, wrist pin, and cylinder sleeve, all constructed of a matching carbon--carbon composite is disclosed. The piston is a two-piece assembly divided in crown and skirt, each fabricated individually to optimize the most desirable properties in the respective cylinder areas in which they operate. The crown is fabricated by placing the fiber and binder into a compression mold and pyrolizing(heating) the resulting preform at a high temperature in the range of 1500 to 2000 degrees C. to achieve high temperature strength, and high thermal conductivity that continue after machining to the finished crown part. The skirt, a separate piece, on the other hand is fabricated differently to seek higher lubricity and better wear resistance along the cylinder wall with lower thermal conductivity to minimize heat loss.