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  • CARBOZEN™ DLC COATING
  • METALLION™ COATING

DLC

DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon)

Carbon (atomic symbol: C) is an important element to divide organic and inorganic substances. Carbon exhibits completely different physical properties depending on its bonds. If it has only sp3 bonds, it forms diamond, and if it has only sp2 bonds, it forms graphite. DLC coating is a plasma surface treatment technology that deposit thin film by electrically accelerating carbon ions or activated hydrocarbon molecules in plasma to collide onto a substrate. Unlike diamonds and graphite, DLC is amorphous thin film with a mixture of sp, sp2, and sp3 bonds. DLC has excellent physical properties such as hardness, corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance, and coefficient of friction that are comparable to diamond, so the name Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) is widely used.

  • Diamond Structure (sp3)
  • Amorphous Structure (sp2, sp3)
  • Graphite Structure (sp2)

Physical Properties Comparison : DLC / Diamond / Graphite

Properties Diamond DLC Graphite
Density (g/cm3) 3.51 1.8 – 3.6 2.26
Hardness (Kgf/mm2) 10000 2000 – 8000 500
Friction coefficient 0.05 0.03 – 0.2 0.1
Refractive index 2.42 1.8 – 2.6 2.15 – 1.8
Light transmit UV-VIS-IR VIS-IR Opaque
Resistance (Wcm) > 10 10 – 10 0.2 – 0.4

Structure of DLC coating

DLC containing hydrogen is called a-C:H (Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon). Amorphous carbon thin film without hydrogen is called ta-C (Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon).

  • a-C:H Structure
  • ta-C Structure

Characteristics and Applications of DLC Coating

  • High hardness surface 1500~8500Hv Abrasion resistance coating
    Nonferruous metal tools, Ptrecise mold’s surface mirror treatmaent of machine parts and most vehicle parts
  • Low friction coefficient 0.01~0.2 Solid lubrication coating
    Dental tools, Gears, Electrons, Cutting tools, Most of engine parts
  • Chemically stable No react to acid and base Corrosion resistant and heteromorghy
    Etsh resist, Human insertion, Food machineris
  • Amorphous Great surface roughness Mirror treatment coationg
    An aspheric lens, Hard disk mold
  • Low temperate synthesis <70℃ No thermal variation
    Materials made of plastic and rubber

Multi-Layer DLC Coating

DLC’s high residual stress occurred in its synthesis weaken the adhesion of thin film and it lowers the durability of the coated products.
For DLC coated products, thin film peeling off due to low adhesion is more often the cause of shortened lifespan than the thin film itself is damaged
such as abrasion. Therefore the adhesion is as important as the physical properties of the thin film itself. For improving the adhesion of DLC, we have developed various types of buffer layers.
By depositing of a buffer layer suitable for metal or non-metal materials such as carbide, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, glass and plastic,
we improved the bonding strength of DLC dramatically.

  • [A] Without adhesive layer

    DLC

    Base material

  • [B] With adhesive layer

    DLC

    Buffer layer

    Adhesive reinforcement layer

    Base material

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