Diamond-Like Nanocomposites as Tailorable, Hard, Low Friction Coatings

A new class of thin film materials, diamond-like nanocomposites (DLN), have been developed that represent a significant advance over "conventional" diamond-like carbon coatings. The co-efficient of friction of DLN is a fraction of that for DLC and diamond, and the temperature stability much higher thatn that of DLC. The composition of DBLN coatings can be controlled to provide a wide range of tailorable properties including mechanical, optical and electrical behavior. DLN exhibit excellent adhesion to a wide variety of substrates with minimal interface layer thickness, and minimal intrinsic stress. The proposed approach takes advantage of the tailorable properites of this hard, thin film coating that consists of an amorphous quartzlike and diamondlike structure doped with controlled quantities of metals. DLN coatings represent a new composition of matter that allows formation of homogeneous composites at an atomic level. The approach will potentially overcome some of the limitations of current thin film coating technologies, and provide a cost effective scalable alternative for applications requiring low friction and good wear resistance.