The hardness of DLC (Diamond-like Carbon) coatings can range from 1500 to 3200 HV (Vickers hardness).
This range depends on the type of DLC coating and the choice of underlayer.
Highly containing sp3 carbon films, known as polycrystalline diamond, can exhibit hardness close to that of natural diamond.
Diamond-like carbon films (DLC) in various forms such as ta-C, a-C, or H-terminated DLC, have high hardness ranging from 1500 to 3000 HV.
DLC coatings are known for their low coefficient of friction, as low as 0.1 against bearing steels.
They are used in the automotive and machinery industry to save energy in power trains, bearings, cam shafts, and other elements.
DLC coatings can be deposited even at relatively low temperatures of around 300 °C with high adhesive strength using appropriate bonding layers.
Silicon-based films produced by PACVD (Plasma-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition) are often pre-deposited to enhance the adhesion of DLC coatings on steel and hard metal substrates.
DLC coatings are essentially amorphous carbon materials with a significant content of sp3 bonds.
They are often deposited using the RF PECVD (Radio Frequency Plasma-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition) method.
This method allows for deposition of carbon films with a wide range of optical and electrical properties.
DLC films show good adhesion to many substrates and can be deposited in relatively low-temperature processes.
Due to their high hardness and chemical resistance, DLC films are widely used as protective coatings for various materials.
DLC coatings have been studied for their potential applications as wear-resistant coatings on aluminum and its alloys.
These applications include automobile pistons, bores, VCR heads, copier machine drums, and textile components.
Aluminum and its alloys are lightweight structural materials but exhibit poor tribological properties.
DLC coatings provide wear resistance and improve the specific strength of aluminum-based components.
The deposition of DLC films on aluminum alloy substrates has been carried out using locally fabricated RF-PECVD equipment.
It is worth mentioning that DLC coatings can attain a hardness of up to 9000 HV on the Vickers scale.
This makes them one of the hardest coatings available, second only to diamond (10,000 HV).
DLC coatings are commonly used in watches to enhance functional properties while maintaining a luxurious look.
In summary, DLC coatings have a range of hardness from 1500 to 3200 HV, depending on the type of DLC coating and choice of underlayer.
They are known for their high hardness, low coefficient of friction, and excellent wear and chemical resistance.
DLC coatings can be deposited at relatively low temperatures and show good adhesion to various substrates.
This makes them suitable for a wide range of applications in industries such as automotive, machinery, and watchmaking.
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