Revolutionary HEATAN™ technology enables less design complexity for sensors operating in 1000°C and above environments 

Demands for improved fuel economy and stricter emissions standards, such as EURO 6, are bringing about technical challenges that must be fulfilled by a new generation of automotive sensors. The need for innovative engine management systems and intelligent exhaust treatment technologies will further increase with the likely introduction of EURO 7. These sensors will become increasingly sophisticated while needing to perform reliably in extreme temperatures and corrosive environments. SCHOTT’s revolutionary HEATAN™ technology is able to withstand these operating conditions with superior robustness, while also offering increased competitiveness through reduced design complexity.

Sensors in automobiles are often placed in challenging environments, such as near the engine or facing exposure to exhaust gas. These types of sensors, including temperature, gas, PM/PN, NOx, and soot load sensors, need to offer long-term mechanical stability in corrosive, ultra-high temperature conditions. For example, in exhaust gas applications, sensors need to maintain good performance in temperature cycling conditions up to 950°C for at least 50,000 cycles. These challenging conditions necessitate robust harsh environment performance capabilities for the components integrated in the sensor system.

As a leading supplier of hermetically sealed sensor feedthroughs, German technology expert SCHOTT has developed a solution: HEATAN™ feedthroughs are the ideal choice for heat-exposed automotive sensors. They are extremely temperature- and corrosion- resistant and able to withstand conditions of 1000°C and above. They also offer reliable mechanical and temperature cycling stability for up to 300,000 kilometers.

Enabling less complex sensor designs
What makes HEATAN™ feedthroughs unique, apart from their heat resistance, is that they enable sensor manufacturers to design high-temperature sensors that are much more simple. HEATAN™ feedthroughs are single-component solutions, which means they can be assembled by sensor manufacturers using a simple sealing process. This results in significantly reduced internal engineering and purchasing efforts. In contrast, conventional sensor sealing assemblies rely on multi-component designs that require multiple manufacturing steps to achieve the necessary high temperature properties.

The secret behind HEATAN™’s high temperature resistance
SCHOTT HEATAN™ feedthroughs are based on revolutionary glass-ceramic technology, which was initially developed for high-temperature nuclear reactors and oil & gas applications. The feedthroughs are manufactured using just three components that are melted together in a single furnace process. The “glassy phase” allows for an extremely stable bond between the metal conductor or ceramic substrate, the sealing material, and the outer housing.

No interface materials are required to form this reliably gas-tight direct seal. During the subsequent “ceramization phase,” the sealant’s composition is transformed from a glass into a glass-ceramic structure, leading to the same outstanding temperature robustness known from ceramic materials. HEATAN™ feedthroughs also demonstrate excellent corrosion-resistance to diesel / gasoline exhaust gas and chemicals, such as AdBlue.

Leading supplier to automotive and sensor industries
SCHOTT is Europe’s leading expert in specialty glass and glass-ceramics with more than 130 years of history and innovation. For decades, SCHOTT has also been a world-leading supplier of gas-tight glass- and ceramic-sealed feedthroughs and housing components for harsh-environment applications, including safety-critical automotive and sensor applications. In-house expertise and production capabilities cover all essential and quality-critical processes of the value chain.

This allows SCHOTT to support its customers starting with engineering development all the way to mass production throughout worldwide IATF 16949-certified manufacturing sites. The company has the proven ability to supply with consistently high quality at mass production volumes, making SCHOTT a supplier of choice for the automotive industry.