Radioactive Sparkplugs.

Heh. I think that was in the days when radioactive was a popular marketing gimick. I've heard there was even a radioactive toothpaste. It was the wonder technology of the day. Probably a bit like nowdays we have eco-this and eco-that, most likely an eco-sparkplug somewhere! It's a bit funny to see performance measured in cranks-till-it-starts tho :P

I wonder how they made it. Not being a natural element I'd think they'd need a nuclear reactor. Did they have those in the 20's?

When I hear the term radioactive in conjunction with secondary ignition components

I havent been able to open your link yet.

Sparkplugs were perfected decades ago. If it ain't broken don't fix it. But of course, if your business is selling spark plugs, you need some way to differentiate yours from the masses. It must be hard being a plug manufacturer these days when plugs last so long (both because of the state of the art of modern plugs, and the engines themselves, with tighter rings and valve guides, and better temperature control. So your market is smaller, and who wants to sell fewer of anything?

Polonium is a natural element. Atomic symbol Po, number 84. It was discovered in 1898 by Curie. Not sure what good effects it would have in an engine considering it only has a half life of 140 days.

And with a half-life of 140 days there shouldn't be much left of it if the earth is 4 billion years old. The earth would have to be almost pure polonium to start with. According to the website, the polonium "ionized" the air in the spark gap. Goes to show how little hype it takes to sucker the consumer. The spark ionizes the air, polonium isn't necessary. And there's probably more polonium in the ink on the sparkplug box than there is in its electrode...

Dan

However, it's being constantly formed as a breakdown product of heavier materials, so it's not all that rare. Nowhere near as rare as radium, for instance.

In fact, a radioactive source near an open spark gap will reduce the potential needed for a spark. This (along with discharging an electroscope) is a standard high school physics demo.

Odds are the plugs had too little in them to do much, of course.

--scott

Like the old saying goes, Everything old is new again.Many years ago, there were many different kinds of gimmick spark plugs available on the market.Do a search for, Collectible Spark Plugs cuhulin

On a larger scale, its thought cosmic rays may help trigger lightning.

Dave

Sparkplug marketing really hasn't changed all that much.