The problems of using the inner surfaces of a combustion chamber as catalytic converters in order to reduce the harmful exhaust emissions were discussed in this paper. The proper choice of the catalyst is one of the most important issues. The interaction between the burned mixture and the catalyst is not limited by the kinetics of the chemical reactions but depends primarily on the flow rate of the reactants to the catalyst surface during combustion. The lifespan of a catalytic layer is determined by the application technique, where plasma spraying is the most popular and most accessible method. However, when it comes to the catalytic coating durability, it is not an efficient option, as ion implantation is indicated shows greater potential in this respect. In this research the coating of aluminum titanium and chromium-nickel have been applied to the engine head and the piston crown. Then the modified catalytic parts were used in a CI combustion engine and the obtained emission results were compared with the reference results. Another set of tests was performed for an SI engine, powered with gasoline and methane, where the piston crown was covered with a thermal layer of zirconium oxide and a catalytic layer of platinum. The beneficial effects of these in-cylinder catalysts on exhaust emissions and the possible problems in the wide spread use of such solutions have been presented.