In October 2012, Ceradyne Inc was acquired by 3M. Ceradyne, Inc. engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of technical ceramic products, ceramic powders, and components for defense, industrial, automotive/diesel, and commercial applications in the United States and internationally. The company's products include lightweight ceramic armor and combat helmets for soldiers and other military applications; ceramic industrial components for erosion and corrosion resistant applications; ceramic powders, including boron carbide, boron nitride, titanium diboride, calcium hexaboride, zirconium diboride, and fused silica, which are used in manufacturing armor and a range of industrial and consumer products; evaporation boats for metallization of materials for food packaging and other products; and ceramic diesel engine components. Its products also comprise functional and frictional coatings primarily for automotive applications; translucent ceramic orthodontic brackets; ceramic-impregnated dispenser cathodes for microwave tubes, lasers and cathode ray tubes; ceramic crucibles for melting silicon in the photovoltaic solar cell manufacturing process; ceramic missile radomes for the defense industry; and fused silica powders for precision investment casting. In addition, the company's products consist of neutron absorbing materials; nuclear chemistry products for use in pressurized water reactors and boiling water reactors; boron dopant chemicals for semiconductor silicon manufacturing and for ion implanting of silicon wafers; and ceramic bearings and bushings for oil drilling and fluid handling pumps. It serves the U.S. government; prime government contractors; and industrial, automotive, diesel, and commercial manufacturers