Electrical Conduction Properties of Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Films with Different Structures.

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films have optical and electrical properties that vary widely depending on deposition conditions; however, the electrical conduction mechanism, which is dependent on the film structure, has not yet been fully revealed. To understand the relationship between the film structure and electrical conduction mechanism, three types of a-C:H films were prepared and their film structures and electrical properties were evaluated. The sp2/(sp2 + sp3) ratios were measured by a near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure technique. From the conductivity-temperature relationship, variable-range hopping (VRH) conduction was shown to be the dominant conduction mechanism at low temperatures, and the electrical conduction mechanism changed at a transition temperature from VRH conduction to thermally activated band conduction. On the basis of structural analyses, a model of the microstructure of a-C:H that consists of sp2 and sp3-bonded carbon clusters, hydrogen atoms and dangling bonds was built. Furthermore, it is explained how several electrical conduction parameters are affected by the carrier transportation path among the clusters.

Synthesis of Multilayered DLC Films with Wear Resistance and Antiseizure Properties.

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have attracted considerable interest for application as protective films in diverse industrial parts. This is attributed to their desirable characteristics, such as high hardness, low coefficient of friction, gas-barrier properties, and corrosion resistance. Antiseizure properties, in addition to wear resistance, are required during the die molding of polymer and polymer-matrix composite parts. Graphite films can be easily peeled because the vertically stacked graphene sheets are bonded via weak van der Waals forces. The present study demonstrates the fabrication of multilayered DLC/Cu films, where the Cu film functions as a catalyst for the formation of a graphite-like layer between the DLC and Cu films. The DLC/Cu film was synthesized on a Si (100) substrate via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and magnetron sputtering. The peelability, wear resistance, microstructure, texture, and cross-section of the film were experimentally analyzed. The results indicated a variation in the peelability with the deposition conditions of the Cu film that comprised particles with diameters of several nanometers. The DLC film at the interface in contact with the Cu film was transformed into a graphite-like state i.e., graphitized. The surface of the multilayered film exhibited antiseizure properties with the peeling of the upper DLC film. The multilayered film also exhibited wear resistance owing to the repeated appearances of a new DLC film. It is expected that the wear-resistant films with antiseizure properties demonstrated in the present study will be utilized in various industrial sectors.

Structural and Mechanical Properties of a-BCN Films Prepared by an Arc-Sputtering Hybrid Process.

Amorphous boron carbon nitride (a-BCN) films exhibit excellent properties such as high hardness and high wear resistance. However, the correlation between the film structure and its mechanical properties is not fully understood. In this study, a-BCN films were prepared by an arc-sputtering hybrid process under various coating conditions, and the correlations between the film's structure and mechanical properties were clarified. Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy were used to analyze the structural properties and chemical composition. Nanoindentation and ball-on-disc tests were performed to evaluate the hardness and to estimate the friction coefficient and wear volume, respectively. The results indicated that the mechanical properties strongly depend on the carbon content in the film; it decreases significantly when the carbon content is <90%. On the other hand, by controlling the contents of boron and nitrogen to a very small amount (up to 2.5 at.%), it is possible to synthesize a film that has nearly the same hardness and friction coefficient as those of an amorphous carbon (a-C) film and better wear resistance than the a-C film.

Properties and Classification of Diamond-Like Carbon Films.

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have been extensively applied in industries owing to their excellent characteristics such as high hardness. In particular, there is a growing demand for their use as protective films for mechanical parts owing to their excellent wear resistance and low friction coefficient. DLC films have been deposited by various methods and many deviate from the DLC regions present in the ternary diagrams proposed for sp3 covalent carbon, sp2 covalent carbon, and hydrogen. Consequently, redefining the DLC region on ternary diagrams using DLC coatings for mechanical and electrical components is urgently required. Therefore, we investigate the sp3 ratio, hydrogen content, and other properties of 74 types of amorphous carbon films and present the classification of amorphous carbon films, including DLC. We measured the sp3 ratios and hydrogen content using near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure and Rutherford backscattering-elastic recoil detection analysis under unified conditions. Amorphous carbon films were widely found with nonuniform distribution. The number of carbon atoms in the sp3 covalent carbon without bonding with hydrogen and the logarithm of the hydrogen content were inversely proportional. Further, we elucidated the DLC regions on the ternary diagram, classified the amorphous carbon films, and summarized the characteristics and applications of each type of DLC.

Author Correction: Epoxy toughening through high pressure and shear rate preprocessing.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Epoxy toughening through high pressure and shear rate preprocessing.

We have successfully conceived and demonstrated a simple, scalable process for improving the fracture energy of epoxy resins. The process is based on the combined application of high pressures (in the order of GPa) and shear rates (in the order of 106 m-1) in the pre-cured polymer, obtaining mechanical forces sufficiently high to increase the reactivity of the monomers due to the scission of the epoxy groups. To achieve these high values of pressure and shear rate, we take advantage of the elastohydrodynamic phenomena occurring at lubricated higher kinematic pairs as, for example, the rolling element - track pair in ball bearings. Experimental results show that, under certain combinations of pressure and shear rate, a substantial improvement in fracture toughness is obtained. SEM observations, Raman spectroscopies, nanoindentation and GPC and NMR measurements show that the process is able to increase the polymer chain length before curing, reducing the number of potential anchor points during the subsequent curing and hence reducing the crosslinking density. The chain lengths obtained are big enough to guarantee adequate stiffness and strength due to increased chain tangling, hence overcoming the drawbacks associated with other toughness promotion methods, such as stiffness and strength reduction.

Deposition of boron doped DLC films on TiNb and characterization of their mechanical properties and blood compatibility.

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) material is used in blood contacting devices as the surface coating material because of the antithrombogenicity behavior which helps to inhibit platelet adhesion and activation. In this study, DLC films were doped with boron during pulsed plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to improve the blood compatibility. The ratio of boron to carbon (B/C) was varied from 0 to 0.4 in the film by adjusting the flow rate of trimethylboron and acetylene. Tribological tests indicated that boron doping with a low B/C ratio of 0.03 is beneficial for reducing friction (µ = 0.1), lowering hardness and slightly increasing wear rate compared to undoped DLC films. The B/C ratio in the film of 0.03 and 0.4 exhibited highly hydrophilic surface owing to their high wettability and high surface energy. An in vitro platelet adhesion experiment was conducted to compare the blood compatibility of TiNb substrates before and after coating with undoped and boron doped DLC. Films with highly hydrophilic surface enhanced the blood compatibility of TiNb, and the best results were obtained for DLC with the B/C ratio of 0.03. Boron doped DLC films are promising surface coatings for blood contacting devices.

Tribological and thermal stability study of nanoporous amorphous boron carbide films prepared by pulsed plasma chemical vapor deposition.

In this work, the thermal stability and the oxidation and tribological behavior of nanoporous a-BC:H films are studied and compared with those in conventional diamond-like carbon (DLC) films. a-BC:H films were deposited by pulsed plasma chemical vapor deposition using B(CH3)3 gas as the boron source. A DLC interlayer was used to prevent the a-BC:H film delamination produced by oxidation. Thermal stability of a-BC:H films, with no delamination signs after annealing at 500 °C for 1 h, is better than that of the DLC films, which completely disappeared under the same conditions. Tribological test results indicate that the a-BC:H films, even with lower nanoindentation hardness than the DLC films, show an excellent boundary oil lubricated behavior, with lower friction coefficient and reduce the wear rate of counter materials than those on the DLC film. The good materials properties such as low modulus of elasticity and the formation of micropores from the original nanopores during boundary regimes explain this better performance. Results show that porous a-BC:H films may be an alternative for segmented DLC films in applications where severe tribological conditions and complex shapes exist, so surface patterning is unfeasible.