Westaim Corporation has a commercial process for applying a special coating to the tubes used in ethylene furnaces. Westaim claims that coke buildup is reduced to one-forth to one-tenth of the normal rate. The coating consists of a combination of metal, ceramic powder, and a polymer. Once the coating is applied, the tubes are then heat-treated and reacted with an unspecified gas. Welds cannot be coated with this process.