Deposition of diamond-like carbon coatings: Conventional to non-conventional approaches for emerging markets

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are recognized for a broad range of industrial applications due to their superior mechanical properties such as high hardness, low friction, and promising wear resistance. DLC commonly produced with physical vapour deposition (PVD) plasma-enhanced chemical (PECVD) methods. New markets emerging in electronics, biomedical, additive manufacturing textiles sectors transformations. The conventional PVD PECVD methods may have limited usage depositing products elevated thermal vacuum environment, lack localized function, production throughput restrictions. This review begins by briefly describing background, the volume research outcomes global revenue past decade projections future. structural designs made corresponding operational parameters then discussed detail enhancement improve coating quality resolve unaddressed problems summarized. potential non-conventional produce critically analysed specific attention scientific, technological economical aspects. Representative investigations suggest that can be hardness values up ~20 GPa using dielectric-barrier-discharge deposition, hydrophobicity ~167° electrospray assisted plasma jet coating, rates ~6 μm/min microwave resonator critical load ~30 N friction coefficient ~0.1 when deposited gun technique. concludes recommending systematic optimize geometric which high-quality at temperatures atmospheric pressures scalability meet market demands.