Diamond Like Carbon Coatings

Sulzer Metco Division

Ketan Itchhaporia
Sales/Market Manager
Cell: 1-716-474-9207
Email: ketan.itchhaporia@sulzer.com

6000 North Bailey Avenue Suite 9

Amherst, NY 14226

Phone: 716-270-2228 Fax: 716-270-2230

DLC Proprietary Coating Family

DLC:

DYLYN: a- C:H, a- Si:O

a-C:H

Hard amorphous carbon thin film

DYLYNdoped:
a- C:H, a- Si:O, a-?

Hard amorphous carbon thin film

very hard

very hard

Atoms* can be introduced into the carbon

matrix to alter the coating properties

electrically insulating

electrically insulating

wear resistant

wear resistant

These atoms can be metal; we most

commonly use Titanium

Others possible metal dopants include W, Hf,

Zr, Al, Cu, Cr, Ni.

Comprises C, H

Primarily sp3 bonding => "Diamond-like"

properties

There are a few variants of DLC coatings

Engineered interface layers for optimized film

stress

Comprises C, H, Si, O

a-C:H => "Diamond-like" properties

a-Si:O => enhances high temperature stability, leads

to lower friction, lowers film stress

Dylyn is a family of coatings

Low intrinsic stress

Several US patents issued

Non-metal ions may also be used

Introduction of metal allows significant

electrical tailorability
Multi-layer and gradient coatings are
possible

| slide 2

DLC vs Other Surface Treatments

| slide 3

Coatings Reduce Abrasive Wear

8000
7000
6000

Hard Particle

Soft

Hardness Comparison

5000

DLC

4000
Vickers (HV)

Hard
3000
2000
1000
0

DLC

Diamond
Cavidur N

Dylyn
TiN

Metal Carbon
CrN

Nickel Teflon

Hard Chrome

52100

TOOL

PART

ABRASION:
The high hardness of Diamond-Like Coatings reduce the likelihood of hard particle penetration into the
tool or part.
| slide 4

Coatings Reduce Friction / Material Pickup

(Galling)
0.8
0.7
0.6

Coefficient of Friction

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
PTFE

DLC
Dylyn

Diamond
Cavidur N

TiN

Metal Carbon
Nickel Teflon

Hard Chrome

52100
CrN

F= x A
1 > 2

PART
TOOL

RESISTANCE TO ADHESION:
The chemically inert characteristics of diamond-like coatings dramatically reduce
possibility of cold welding and material pickup on the surface of the tool

Comparison of Wear
Force (F): 20 N

Velocity (V): 200 RPM

Sliding Distance: 10,000
Revolutions

Wear Factor

Coating
DLC
Dylyn
WC/C
TiCN
TiN
TiAlN

1.40E-05

1.20E-05

Wear (mm /Nm)

1.00E-05

8.00E-06

6.00E-06

4.00E-06

2.00E-06

0.00E+00

TiN
Coating Wear

Cr

Dylyn/DLC

Wear on Steel Ball (52100)

(x 10-8 mm3/Nm)

1-5
5 - 10
41
60
250
790 - 1000

Wear Rate Comparison of Coated and Uncoated Aluminum

Coupons
Light Wear Scar
With No Debris

Force (F): 1.7 N

Velocity (V): 200
RPM
Sliding Distance:
10,000 Revolutions
Counter-surface:
52100 Steel Ball

DLC Coated

Uncoated
Deep Wear Scar
With Aluminum
Particles

Corrosion Test
Dylyn Coated

Corrosive Attack

DLC

New
After 192
hours
After
10
hours
After 120 hours

TOOL

TiN Coated
ASTM B 117-97 Salt Spray Test

PART

The high density and

amorphous structure of
Diamond-Like Coatings
inhibit the corrosive byproducts from penetrating
into the tool.

2.5 m

SEM-Comparison

5,000 X
1,000 X

Amorphous coating
structure
without change in
surface finish

Dylyn/DLC (PACVD)

TiAlN (PVD)

Surface Engery & Wetting Behavior of Different

Coatings
Close-up of a series of
liquid droplets on a
Dylyn sample

lubricant fluid drop

with constant volume,
here water

DLC
Dylyn

20 - 40

wetting angle
of contact
fluid spreads
over the surface

TiN

40 - 42

TiAlN

42 - 46

Metal
Carbide

46 - 53

Better Wetting Behavior

Better Release Behavior

Surface energy is a
measure of the
affinity of a
substance to stick to
the material.
The lower the value,
the less likely a
material will weld or
stick to a surface.
PFTE has a surface
energy of 18 mN/m
Surface Energy
(mN/m)

Coatable Substrate Materials

-

Metals

Carbides

Stainless Steel
Carbon Steel
Tool Steel
Inconel
Superalloys
Aluminum
Beryllium Copper
Die-cast
Magnesium

Tungsten Carbide
Titanium Carbide

Plastics

Polyester (Mylar)
Polyamide (Kapton)

Ceramics

Glass
Alumina ceramics
Aluminum nitride
WC-Co
SiC
Silica

Semiconductors

Silicon
Germanium
GaAs
InP
SiC
3m

SEM Cross-section of Dylyn

on a metal substrate

Uncoatable Materials and/or Surfaces

Uncoatable Materials

Uncoatable Surfaces

Bronze

Brass (Some exceptions

- Dylyn Coated *
depends on the alloys used)
- Chrome Plated
Lead (Pb)
- Anodized Aluminum
Manganese
* We can sometimes coat over DLC or

Tin (Sb)

Low Temperature Braze

(< 1000F)

Plastics

DLC Coated *

Dylyn by use of a Titanium layer.

Note: We prefer to always coat virgin surfaces

Characterization Lab
- Thickness
- Tencor P10 and 16
- Taylor Hobson Talysurf

- Hardness

- Nanoindenter

- Wear

- Sliding wear: pin-on-disk

- Adhesion

- Scratch Tester
- Rockwell C Indent

- Thermal Shock Testing

- Electrical Testing
- Microscopy
- Optical: in-house
- SEM & TEM at BTC

- Other methods:

- FTIR
- UV-Vis
- Raman Spectroscopy

Use of the Lab can show that all modifications in

coating recipes can be quantified and measured to
assure the new characteristic was achieved and
show how all the related coating properties have
been affected, as well as demonstrate current recipe
coating properties.

Applications
Sulzer is active in these focused application areas:

Semiconductor components and tools

Molds for plastic molding

ESCs, vacuum chucks, cooling pedestals

Docking components and screws for precision alignment
Precision Valve components
Air bearings
Wafer/material handling components
Wafer processing equipment
Thermal Print Heads
Form giving molds / moving mold parts

CD & DVD molds

Medical Instruments
Racing/Automotive engine components
Industrial Components

Metal forming
Dynamic Seals

In a nutshell: Why Sulzer Diamond Like

Coatings?
Dylyn/DLC is able to offer a wide variety of properties
with only ONE coating:
-

lowest available coefficient of friction (0.05 -0.1)

which is maintained by the high hardness ( avg 85Rc)

no surface roughness changes that could influence galling and

release properties

Side benefits _ corrosion protection (amorphous coating)

Coating temperature below 215C

Removable!! _ without changing the base surface

Biocompatible

Thank you.