Titanium coating of scaffold carbon foam by ECR sputtering

Abstract

Titanium films, of 5 μm in thickness were deposited uniformly on three-dimensional structures of scaffold carbon foam substrates using a hybrid electron cyclotron resonance-direct current (ECR-DC) sputtering system. A cylindrical hollow cathode with internal diameter of 80 mm and external diameter of 90 mm and length of 60 mm, negatively biased, was used as titanium atoms supplier. The DC sputtering voltage applied to the target controlled the feeding with excited titanium atoms. The Vickers micro-hardness of the films was found to be in the range of 250-300 HV. The film surfaces were smooth and showing pure titanium, preferentially grown on the Ti (100) crystallographic phase. Flexural strength and elastic modulus of the carbon foam were improved by a factor of 1.5 and 2.6 respectively.